I'm Simply Mad About Mabel... An Audiobook Review of Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

I’m just mad about Mad Mabel!

Meet Elsie Fitzpatrick—81 years old, sharp-tongued, a little crabby, and completely unforgettable. (If you loved A Man Called Ove, you’ll instantly see the vibe.) Elsie has lived a quiet, routine life on Kenny Lane for sixty years… until her elderly neighbor—well into his nineties—dies suddenly.

Given their recent, less-than-friendly history (she did call him her “nemesis,” after all), suspicion quickly lands on Elsie.

Ordinarily, this would be a straightforward case. But Elsie is hiding something—and it’s not small... Elsie Fitzpatrick is actually Mabel Waller… Australia’s youngest convicted murderer at just fifteen!! (And that’s only the crime she was caught for.)

As the investigation ramps up and the media descends, Elsie is finally given the chance to tell her story—and she takes it. What follows is a beautifully layered dual timeline that shifts between young Mabel and present-day Elsie, slowly revealing the truth behind the rumors, the headlines, and the woman herself.

The story is rich with unforgettable characters—from Mabel’s early life (her complicated family, her first love, and her fiercely loyal friend Daphne) to Elsie’s present-day circle, including her kind neighbor Peter, perpetually complaining Joan, and the absolute scene-stealer: seven-year-old Persephone, who has essentially adopted Elsie as her grandmother.

There’s a quiet tenderness here that sneaks up on you—especially in the relationship between Elsie and Persephone—balanced with moments of real suspense, unexpected twists, and a few emotional turns that genuinely caught me off guard. By the end, I wasn’t just invested… I was fully rooting for Elsie (and Mabel), flaws and all.

On audio? Even better.

The narration elevates this story beautifully. Jenny Seedsman perfectly captures Elsie’s dry wit and layered personality, while Hannah Fredericksen brings young Mabel to life with equal nuance. The transitions between timelines are seamless, making it an incredibly immersive listen.

By the time I reached the end, I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Elsie—and honestly, that might be the highest praise I can give.

I'm not a big audiobook listener, but I am so happy that I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook of Mad Mabel courtesy of Macmillan Audio and NetGalley! Thank you so much! I loved the story and it was such a pleasure to listen to! I am now officially putting more audiobooks on my TBR list! And you should too! Especially this one! 

Mad Mabel audiobook (and book)

 will be available this coming tuesday, April 21st

Love & War by Mary Matalin & James Carville… An Audiobook Review

They seemed the most unlikeliest of couples. 

Two political powerhouses from opposite sites of the floor who simply fell in love…. 

Love & War: Twenty Years, Three Presidents, Two Daughters and One Louisiana Home by Mary Matalin and James Carville is not what you'd expect and then again everything you'd expect. I have always been fascinated by the romance of this couple. How can such political powerhouses and adversaries find love between campaigning? I never thought that their relationship was created for publicity, but it seems that enough people did think that and have asked that question point blank to them. And that's what makes this tale of love and politics so interesting, because even though the media made such a big deal out of their romance, it wasn't a big deal. It was just a working class girl from Chicago and a boy from Louisiana falling in love and raising a family in the craziness of Washington, DC and then taking a step back and making lives for themselves outside the fray and dealing with the fray. Both Mary Matalin and James Carville are smart, savvy political engineers, but that's just one of the wonderful things about their relationship- they knew how to run a campaign, love politics and they could relate to what the other was doing. Political opposites, but that's what makes life interesting. Their life together is as normal as any husband and wife raising a family, buying a house, going to work every day but also filled with some people and places that we as readers have become familiar with if we've payed attention to anything happening to our country in the past 15 years. BUT, this is NOT a book on politics!

I listened to this audio book of Love & War and loved it! Read by Mary Matalin and James Carville, it's almost as if they are speaking to us directly about what's going on in their lives and what had been going on in their lives. They individually answer those questions about getting along, raising children, dealing with being "well known" and trying to live a normal life at the same time, and basically giving us a peek into their lives. Yes, they do talk about their jobs, but it's really not about that. It's about marriage, children and dealing with everything that goes along: Falling in love, staying in love, giving birth, ADHD, buying that first house, going to school, having a job, friends, and keeping your sanity in a Washington DC existence. This book lets you see beyond what you may have thought about Mary and James (individually and as a couple), and find common ground in your own life. Listening to Mary read and then James read what seems to be his "view" of the topic was fun. They both have great voices in respect to audiobooks, and they read wonderfully.

The audiobook of Love & War is unabridged, 9 CD's and 10.5 hours. Thanks to Random House Audio I received a review copy of this! Thanks Random House!  I've always talked about Memoirs on Chick with Books and this one really captured my attention.

Private by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro... An Audiobook Review & Giveaway!

The world's most powerful investigation firm,

takes on three twisted,

almost unsolvable crimes...

Giveaway Has Ended!

CONGRATS TO...Kathy, Jessica & Allison! They each won a copy of James Patterson's Audiobook Privat! Thanks to EVERYone who joined in on the fun by entering, blogging and tweeting about the giveaway!

Like your mysteries & suspense with a PI hunting down the bad guy?! How about a story packed with not one but three crimes?! Then Private by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro is for you! Great characters whose lives are so cleverly entwined, and 3 great cases that Jack Morgan and his investigation company, Private, is working on that will have you on the edge of your seats.

Jack Morgan runs Private, a large private investigation firm, where the rich and famous go, but also anyone who wants discretion... Jack and his investigators have a world wide network of technically savvy resources to help them solve even the most difficult crimes... and they're going to need it. First Jack begins investigating a high stakes NFL gambling scandal. Looks like the games are rigged somehow, and with lots of money on the line, Jack's firm is hired to investigate if it's even possible, let alone happening. At the same time, Private is asked to be part of the police investigation of the unsolved murders of thirteen young girls. The crimes seem related, but at the same time they look to have been committed by different people, but how? and why? Finally Jack gets a call from his best friend; it seems his best friends wife ( and Jack's former lover) has been murdered. The husband looks guilty, but Jack knows his friend would never do it, and as Jack investigates who else may have a motive, secrets start coming out of the closet that turn his perceptions of who his best friend really is and who his ex-lover really was upside down. The story starts out slowly, laying down all the players, their relationships and the scenes, but quickly moves to a faster pace, with twists and turns that make you want to keep turning the pages, or in my case, because I listened to the audiobook, keep listening by driving around the block a few more times! Having 3 crimes being investigated at the same time really holds your attention. The characters are well developed with intertwined histories that are interesting and create a whole other set of possibilities in the story as people are motivated because of their past with each other. And Jack sure has a "past" with quite a few of the ladies in the story, but I guess that's common among PI's, right?!

But my review is really for the audiobook version of Private. And as much I can tell you I really liked the story, (And I really did!) the narrator really has a big part in how well you enjoy an audiobook. Peter Hermann is the narrator and does an excellent job of holding your attention with his wonderful buttery voice. Hermann's credits are in film, television and Broadway productions. He has full command of his characters (and there are quite a few) and does a great job of separating them through subtle nuances with his voice. Good timing, an interesting voice, the talent of Peter Hermann and a great story to back it all up make Private a great audiobook! Fans of James Patterson will enjoy this, but also fans of Maxine Paetro who is gaining a following in her own right.

Want to listen to a great audiobook?! Private by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro is unabridged, on 6 CD's and is approximately 7 hours. AND Courtesy of Anna of Hachette Book Group, I have 3 copies of the audiobook Private to GIVE AWAY! Learn more about James Patterson! Then Listen to an excerpt of Private! And finally enter to win a copy of the unabridged audiobook of Private! Here's how to Enter...

Giveaway Has Ended!

To Enter this Giveaway...

*For one entry leave me a comment with your email address!

*Get an extra entry for following my blog! Just leave a comment letting me know you're a follower! ( Not a follower yet? No problem, sign up by clicking on the 'followers" button on the sidebar to the left! Just let me know you became a new follower!)

*Blog or tweet about this giveaway and leave me the link.

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only (No PO boxes). The books will be shipped to the winners directly from the publisher. Contest ends 11:59pm EST on August 14th. I will randomly pick the winners the next day and email them! (please check your email.. winner must reply to me within 3 days! Thanks!) Good Luck!

The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova... an Audiobook Review

A Love Story that Transcends Time...

I listened to this wonderful audiobook recently and wanted to share it with you. The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova is a love story that spans time, it's a mystery, it's about art, obsession and it is about betrayal!

First about the story... Robert Oliver, a renowned painter, has brutally attacked a painting in the National Gallery of Art. Troubled, obsessive, handsome and charismatic, the attack lands him in a psychiatric hospital and in the care of psychiatrist Andrew Marlow. Before Robert Oliver stops talking period, he offers one explanation for his actions... "I did it for her." It is with this sole explanation that Marlow pursues the answers Oliver won't provide himself, and that will hopefully set him free... We are swept up into the lives of Robert Oliver, his wife, his lover, and the woman who ultimately captured his heart and his obsession. As Marlow delves deep into the life of his patient Robert Oliver, the women who make up that life reveal the darker side of loving this man... The love, the loss, the tragedy. And as the mystery of why Robert Oliver did what he did is slowly unfurled, a pile of love-letters from the 1800's comes to light and another love story unfolds from centuries before... is there a connection? We are like voyeurs as the love letters are read to us, and the tenderness & forbidden love between two people is revealed... And this is where we see that the real love story is between these two people from centuries before, artists themselves and living during the time of the French Impressionists. The story flows naturally,back and forth, between the present day and the 19th century until the very end. It is a fabulous story filled with the wonder of romance and the beauty of a brushstroke.

The Audiobook is such a treat itself. Unlike a lot of audiobooks with one person reading the story and using the quality of their voice to change characters, The Swan Thieves has 5 readers! Each main character has their own reader! It's almost like listening to a play, and it's wonderful. The voices reading The Swan Thieves are expressive and pleasing to listen to. The cast of readers include Treat Williams & Anne Heche, and John Rafter Lee who himself has won two Audie Awards for his great narrations. The accompanying music between discs is wonderful too. The unabridged audiobook of The Swan Thieves is 17 CD's, which is about 18 hours. If you enjoy audiobooks, and enjoy literary mysteries, you will enjoy this! The love story is touching and the beauty of what the Impressionists accomplished as they put brush to canvas will surround you...

Listen to an excerpt

Read an excerpt .

I want to thank Anna of Hachette Book Group for providing me a copy of the audiobook of The Swan Thieves to review! Thanks Anna, I just loved it!

Absolute Power by David Baldacci... Audiobook Review

Absolute Power was the first book written by David Baldacci. It was a mystery, a thriller, a page turner, and set a high bar for future political thrillers... From the publisher: "In a heavily guarded mansion in a posh Virginia suburb, a man and a woman start to make love, trapping Luther Whitney, a career break-in artist, behind a secret wall. Then the passion turns deadly, and Luther is running into the night. Because what he has just seen is a brutal murder involving Alan Richmond, the president of the United States. How far will the government go to protect the president? Set in Washington, D.C., this fascinating thriller of unparalleled suspense dares to explore an unthinkable abuse of power and criminal conspiracy: a vicious murder involving the President and a cover-up orchestrated by his most trusted aides. One unlikely witness saw everything, but will America ever learn the truth? This riveting debut novel of murder, honor, loyalty and betrayal reaches into the highest echelon of power... and the lowest depth of deception..."

What a great story this is! I just had the opportunity to listen to Absolute Power as an unabridged audiobook and fell in love with the story all over again! David Baldacci poured all he had into writing this book, his first, and it shows. The story is great, but so is the narrator of the audiobook! And as I've said before, the narrator is the key to a good audiobook. Scott Brick reads Absolute Power with perfect timing, great nuances, and with a wonderful warm voice. I feel frustration, desire, and empathy in his voice. He brings each character alive and switches voices smoothly and without missing a beat. I downloaded this onto my iPod and was totally entranced by Scott's reading. He's won numerous audio awards, including 2 Audie Awards, and after listening to this audiobook, I know why. Want to listen to a great book? The unabridged audiobook I listened to is 17 CD's, AND there is a bonus short story by David Baldacci included! Learn more about David Baldacci at davidbaldacci.com! Then Listen to an Excerpt of the Audiobook Absolute Power by David Baldacci!

*I want to thank Anna from Hachette Book Group for the sending along a copy of the audiobook for me to review! It was great listening!

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks... An Audiobook Review

"And when her lips met mine, I knew that I could live to be a hundred and visit every country in the world, but nothing would ever compare to that single moment when I first kissed the girl of my dreams and knew that my love would last forever..."

Nicholas Sparks knows how to whisper to our hearts. Some of his wonderful love stories include The Notebook and Message in a Bottle, both of which brought tears to my eyes... Dear John by Nicholas Sparks is no different... get out your tissues! It is a heartwarming, wonderful love story.

This review is for the audiobook, which I downloaded onto my iPod and listened to over the course of a few days. If I had the book I would have probably been feverishly turning the pages, but since it was an audiobook, I was forced to relax and take it all in...

First the story - the beauty and heartache of a love so genuine between two complete opposites. John meets Savannah while on leave from the Army. She's a college girl, wholesome, down to earth, sweet, and helping to build houses for Habitat for Humanity. He's a bit of a bad boy, but he captures her attention as he saves her purse from drowning... As they slowly get to know each other, they slowly fall in love, and Savannah promises to wait for John as he finishes his tour.... But things have a way of not working out sometimes, especially after 9/11, when many lives changed and John feels obligated to re-enlist to help his country. Savannah slowly dies inside every time she is separated for these long periods of time, she must decide if she can wait out another tour of duty... But the story goes beyond the love story between John and Savannah and the obstacles they must overcome, it is also a love story between a father and son, as John tries to understand his father who raised him alone and who suffers from Asperger's disease.

Holter Graham narrated Dear John and is wonderful. The story must be good to hold your attention, but in an audiobook so must the voice of the narrator. Holter Graham has a long list of audiobooks under his belt, his first recording in 2004. Holter's voice has a warm quality to it, with subtle inflections that added to my enjoyment of his reading. Holter's timing is perfect as he guides us through the story and his voice is interesting as it changes into Savannah and the other characters in the story. Holter was easily able to convey the emotions felt as he read the story, and all these qualities made this audiobook a winner, and a nice change of pace.

Listen to the soothing voice of Holter Graham reading you a story... not just any story, a love story that will have you question the way life can sometimes turn out, and if you would have done anything differently. *Remember to make sure you have a box of tissues where ever you are!

The unabridged audiobook is 8 CD's. Listen to an excerpt of Dear John by Nicholas Sparks. I want to thank Anna of Hachette Book Group for sending me a review copy! I enjoyed listening to this audiobook so much! AND, you can find the unabridged audiobook for Dear John on sale for under $10 at Audio Editions right now!