Thriller Thursday Audio: Not A Happy Family by Shari Lapena

Posted on July 22, 2021 16 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Not A Happy Family by Shari Lapena

Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Mystery, Suspense

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Penguin Audio (July 27, 2021)

Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Narrator: Ellen Archer

Shari Lepena’s mystery thriller novels are always a ton of fun, and Not A Happy Family is a whodunit that will definitely keep you guessing. At the center of this story is the Merton family. Fred is the patriarch, who founded a highly successful robotics company that made him rich. He’s also a cold man who has never shown much love for his children, and in fact, he delights in humiliating them every chance he gets by pointing out their failures. His wife Sheila is mostly a passive bystander, powerless to stop this cruel treatment. Oldest daughter Catherine is the one who has been spared the brunt of Fred’s wrath, growing up to become a respected and well-to-do doctor. Middle child Dan, however, is the least favorite, and his father’s greatest disappointment. Even youngest daughter Jenna, the rebellious artist who still lives off her parents seems to catch more slack than she should.

As the book begins, the Mertons are just about to begin their Easter dinner at Fred and Sheila’s home located in their swanky neighborhood of Brecken Hill in upstate New York. Catherine, Dan, and Jenna have all brought their significant others, and also present is Irena, the Merton’s housekeeper, who practically raised the kids. Everyone sits down to a lavish meal, but unfortunately, it isn’t long before Fred unleashes his mean streak. Catherine, who has always dreamed of inheriting her parents’ gorgeous multimillion dollar mansion, feels the rug pulled out from under her as her father informs them all that he has decided to sell the house. He had already sold his company six months ago to spite Dan, denying his son the chance of ever taking over one day. Jenna is also threatened with the cutting off of her financial support. All in all, everyone leaves the house that night in frustration and rage.

Then a few days later, Fred and Sheila are found brutally murdered in their home. While it was made to appear like a burglary gone wrong, the police don’t buy it. They suspect one of the three Merton children, who now stand to inherit millions. All of them also have a reason to want to kill Fred, a psychopath who was so awful to them, and Sheila, who was neglectful and let the abuse happen. Fred also has a sister, Audrey, who claims that her brother had been planning on changing his will to bequeath her half his wealth, leaving Catherine, Dan, and Jenna to squabble over the rest. Audrey believes that one of the Merton children must have found out about his plans and decided to kill him before they could be carried out, but at this point, with all these hidden motives and secrets flying around, anyone could be the killer.

The way the plot unfolds is pretty standard, via a tried-and-true formula, but there’s a reason why stories like this work so well, and why they are so successful. Readers get to follow along with the police as they interview all the family members and their friends involved, bringing to light their financial troubles, odd behaviors, and other reasons that would make you suspect all of them at some point. As the POVs switch between the different characters, we also find out more about the Mertons’ backgrounds and Fred’s past history, all of which are clues that make up the available evidence. Of course, there are also red herrings aplenty, and you can’t always trust what anyone says because as we find out early on, everyone in the Merton family is a compulsive liar.

Fans of thrillers who like to read about dysfunctional families and characters you just love to hate will also have a blast with this one. The reason why there is so much suspense surrounding this murder mystery is precisely because any of these narcissistic, greedy, and impulsive people could have done it, as they all stem from the same psychopathic gene pool. None of them are all that bright either, which also goes for the investigators who feel incompetent at times for the sake of dragging out the story.

With that said, I wouldn’t say this is Lapena at her best, and there were a few instances in the book where you would need to suspend your disbelief. Still, on the whole, I thought Not A Happy Family was a very entertaining read and will be a great treat for fans both new and old. My family listened to this novel as an audiobook on a road trip and the compulsive nature of this mystery simply made the hours and miles fly by, while we all had fun trying to guess who the killer was as each chapter and POV revealed new information. Ellen Archer’s narration was on point and made this format a fantastic way to enjoy the book.

Waiting on Wednesday 07/21/21

Posted on July 21, 2021 6 Comments

Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that first originated at Breaking the Spine but has since linked up with “Can’t Wait Wednesday” at Wishful Endings now that the original creator is unable to host it anymore. Either way, this fun feature is a chance to showcase the upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!

Mogsy’s Pick

Sundial by Catriona Ward (March 1, 2022 by Nightfire)

I just started The Last House on Needless Street but so far I’m enjoying it a lot – so much that I’m already looking forward to another book by the author. This one sounds creepy!

“Sundial is a new, twisty psychological horror novel from Catriona Ward, author of The Last House on Needless Street

You can’t escape what’s in your blood…

All Rob wanted was a normal life. She almost got it, too: a husband, two kids, a nice house in the suburbs. Far from her childhood home, Sundial, hidden deep in the wild Mojave Desert.

But beneath the veneer, Rob is terrified for her oldest daughter, Callie, who collects tiny bones and whispers to imaginary friends. Rob sees a darkness in Callie, one that reminds her too much of the family she left behind.

Running from her past has led her directly back to it — what’s buried at Sundial could never stay a secret forever, and Rob must risk one last trip out there to protect her family, and her future.”

Audiobook Review: A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

Posted on July 20, 2021 19 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Book 1 of Monk & Robot

Publisher: Macmillan Audio (July 13, 2021)

Length: 4 hrs and 8 mins

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Narrator: Emmett Grosland

A comfy read for when you need a quick pick-me-up story to warm your heart, A Psalm for the Wild-Built is the first novella in a new series by Becky Chambers following a sojourning monk and a precocious robot as they wax philosophical about the meaning of life.

A long time ago, in an event known as the Awakening, the robots of Panga chose to take their newfound sentience and venture into the wilderness, never to be seen again. Humans, respecting their choice, in turn learned to adapt and live without their A.I. helpers. Centuries later, when a society with robots have become a mere memory, a monk named Sibling Dex has decided to follow a different calling, taking to the road as a traveling Tea Monk. Drawn to the idea of a quieter, simpler life outside of the city, Dex is convinced it is their new purpose.

However, instead of the solitude they were looking for, Dex meets a robot named Splendid Speckled Mosscap, who takes a curious interest in the monk. Much to Dex’s annoyance, Mosscap informs them that it is on its own mission collecting information about humans, tasked with finding out what they need and what they want. Feeling unqualified to answer those questions, Dex reluctantly allows the chatty robot to journey with them, but then later learns to appreciate the companionship. The two of them have a lot to teach each other, as it turns out, and the rest of the novella is a chronicle of their different conversations while traveling together.

I’m going to be honest here. A Psalm for the Wild-Built was a good book and I enjoyed my time reading it, but nonetheless, I was left feeling oddly unfulfilled after I was finished. Of course, I can think of a couple reasons why. First, I make it no secret I am very picky when it comes to novellas because I need well-developed characters in order to care about what I’m reading, and I find few are able to satisfy \those expectations. Granted, Chambers did a better job than most when it comes to making both Dex and Mosscap feel like fully realized and well-rounded characters, considering she was working within the limitations of a 160-page novella.

That said, I don’t think there was anything too profound or that complex when it comes to its contents. Sure, our protagonists discuss a wide range of topics, from what it means to be human (or robot) to whether the divine exists. I suppose you’re meant to feel all overwhelmed and moved by the intensity and deep insight into their conversations, but sorry to say that’s where I was not completely on board. Like the author’s Wayfarer series, A Psalm for the Wild-Built will give you all the warm and fuzzies, but ultimately I felt it lacked the depth you’d find in her novels. This being my sixth book by Chambers might also have something to do with influencing my expectations, because this feels rather typical and simplistic compared to some of her best work.

In other words, yes, I think I’ve been spoiled. Still, I’m not sorry I read this. Honestly, I’ll pick up anything Becky Chambers writes because I love her style, and as ever her brand of hopeful optimism is a breath of fresh air. If you’re a fan, you are not going to want to miss A Psalm for the Wild-Built, and despite it being on the lighter side, this novella would also make a fantastic introduction to the author if you’re new to her work.

Audiobook Comments: Solid narration for the audiobook edition by Emmett Grosland, who provided just the right amount of emotional weight and emphasis to the characters’ voices. I would recommend.

Review: Capture the Crown by Jennifer Estep

Posted on July 19, 2021 17 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Capture the Crown by Jennifer Estep

Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3 of 5 stars

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Book 1 of Gargoyle Queen

Publisher: Harper Voyager | Harper Audio (July 6, 2021)

Length: 416 pages | 13 hrs and 30 mins

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Narrator (Audiobook): Lauren Fortgang

Since I loved Jennifer Estep’s Crown of Shards trilogy, picking up Capture the Crown was a no-brainer, as it is the first book of a new series set in the same world. In this novel, we follow protagonist Gemma Ripley, the cousin of Everleigh. On the outside, she may appear to be your typical pampered princess—self-absorbed and shallow, concerned only with parties and pretty gowns. However, the reality of it is more complicated. The spoiled princess image is merely a mask she puts on to hide her true activities working as a spy for her kingdom. She’s also a mind magier, which gives her a range of abilities from reading people’s thoughts to moving objects with her mind. In her disguise as a commoner, Gemma works undercover as a miner in the border town of Blauberg, where large amounts of tearstone have been going missing from the royal mines.

Before long, Gemma uncovers a smuggling ring operating in town. But her mission hits an unexpected snag as she encounters Prince Leonidas Morricone from the rival kingdom of Morta, who is in Blauberg carrying out his own mysterious plans. Due to something in their shared history, Gemma does not have a high opinion of Leonidas, who appears not to recognize her. In order to maintain her cover, she decides to let him whisk her back to Morta where she can convalesce from her travels, while also using the opportunity as a way to spy on the enemy and perhaps find out who is really behind the stolen tearstone.

Fans of the Crown of Shards trilogy should find plenty to like in this first installment of the Gargoyle Queen trilogy as well. Still, a caveat: don’t expect Gemma to have the same charisma or presence as Evie. In case you’re wondering though, you can indeed read this one without having read the previous series, and in fact, to tell the truth, I might even have enjoyed this book more if I hadn’t. While I wouldn’t say Capture the Crown was bad by any means, I wouldn’t call it really memorable or meaningful either, and while the sequels may change this in the future as the characters and story become more developed, for now I remain slightly underwhelmed.

I’ll begin with my thoughts on the protagonist. I liked Gemma; she had spirit and she had style. But her voice also sounded young, making this book feel skewed more towards Young Adult (and as far as I know, this book was not marketed as YA, featuring content that would definitely be considered as more “adult”). This in turn set the tone for her eventual romance with Leonidas, which was filled tropes and angst. I didn’t feel that there was much chemistry between them either, despite the “mortal enemies to lovers” arc the author was clearly trying hard to set up. Instead, their romance felt awkward and forced.

Then there was the plot. Look, I get it. Gemma’s a spy, and as such a lot of her work involves snooping and observing the people around her, and not everyone can be like Evie, who joins a gladiator troupe and kicks some serious ass in Kill the Queen. But for much of this book, and especially after the intro, it just felt like not much was happening. Mostly, the story was dominated by court intrigue and relationship drama, lots of dialogue, and at times it was a struggle just to stay focused.

On the plus side though, magic played a huge role in this book, and I also delighted in the different creatures like Grimley the gargoyle, who’ll no doubt be a fan favorite. Fantasy fans will also appreciate the many cool ideas kicking around here, I’m sure. That said, world-building is definitely not the novel’s forte. Cultural differences between the various kingdoms were overly simplistic, for example. And while Gemma’s magical abilities were impressive, it was rather unclear what the extent or limits of her powers were, and there appeared to be no rhyme or rhythm to how they worked. As a result, the fantasy aspects were not quite as well integrated with the rest of the story, feeling more like an affectation. It’s probably not a deal breaker in the scheme of things, but it still might be a source of frustration for some.

All in all, I can’t deny I’d hoped for more out of Capture the Crown, but even with its weaknesses, this was a fun romp. Besides being on the lighter side for epic fantasy and the fact that the story has a mild taste of YA despite being an adult novel, it was an entertaining read that went by quickly. I’m still greatly interested in following Jennifer Estep’s work and my admiration for her storytelling will be the main reason I’ll most likely pick up the next volume.

Bookshelf Roundup: 07/17/21: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads

Posted on July 17, 2021 17 Comments

Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I summarize what I’ve finished reading in the last week and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.

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Received for Review

My thanks to the publishers and authors for the following review copies received, and be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages for more details and full descriptions!

Back from my break and feeling refreshed and well-rested! Here’s what arrived in my mailbox this past week. First, with thanks to Minotaur Books for a finished copy of The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones! I’ve already read a couple books by the author and I’m really enjoying her thrillers, so needless to say I’m pretty curious to see what this one will have in store.

Thank you also to the kind folks at Kaye Publicity and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC of Constance by Matthew FitzSimmons, described as a mind-bending thriller in which a breakthrough in human cloning technology becomes our eponymous protagonist’s waking nightmare.

And finally, much thanks to Orbit Books for an ARC of Blood of the Chosen by Django Wexler, book two of his Burningblade & SilverEye series!

Nothing in the digital haul this week, which means after the avalanche of ALCs I added last week, my audiobook TBR gets a much needed break!

Reviews

Come With Me by Ronald Malfi (5 of 5 stars)
For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing (4 of 5 stars)

Roundup Highlights:

What I’ve Been Reading

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Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read!

Friday Face-Off: “Book” in the Title

Posted on July 16, 2021 12 Comments

Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a weekly meme created by Books by Proxy! Each Friday, we will pit cover against cover while also taking the opportunity to showcase gorgeous artwork and feature some of our favorite book covers. If you want to join the fun, simply choose a book each Friday that fits that week’s predetermined theme, post and compare two or more different covers available for that book, then name your favorite. A list of future weeks’ themes are available at Lynn’s Book Blog.

This week’s theme is:

~ a cover of a book with “BOOK” IN THE TITLE

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

There were quite a few options I could have gone with this week, but this book’s covers were by far the most fun!

From left to right:
Quirk Books (2020) – Italian Edition (2020)

German Edition (2021) – Polish Edition (2021)

Winner:

So many good ones this week, ranging from the charming to the obscene. For subtlety and elegance though, I’m going to have to go with the German edition for this one.

But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?

Thursday Thriller Audio: For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing

Posted on July 15, 2021 8 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing

Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Thriller, Suspense

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Penguin Audio (July 20, 2021)

Length: 10 hrs and 37 mins

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Narrator: David Pittu

Samantha Downing proves once again that she is an expert at crafting tales of psychological suspense. I’m loving everything this woman writes! For Your Own Good is my third book by the author after My Lovely Wife and He Started It, and while it might not be my favorite of the three, I appreciated the fact that it was quite different. In fact, all of Downing’s books have brought something new to the table, what doesn’t change is the relentless fun and thrills.

In this one, the story takes at Belmont Academy, one of the most exclusive secondary schools in the country. Wealthy parents send their kids here for some serious education, and some won’t tolerate anything less than perfect. After Zach brings home a B+ on his English paper, his mom and dad immediately meet with his teacher Teddy Crutcher to discuss a way for him to make up the grade to save his 4.0. What they don’t realize though, is that Crutcher is a psychopath. Zach knows this, and he’s also aware he’s on his English teacher’s shitlist and that it wouldn’t have mattered how good his paper was, he’d never have gotten a fair grade anyway. Crutcher is just out to make his life a living hell, and Zach has no idea why.

But the truth is, Teddy Crutcher is out get more than just Zach. He has a serious beef with pretty much everyone at the school, from the bratty kids and their snooty rich parents to the other meddlesome teachers, many of whom are Belmont alumni. It’s a tightly knit family, which sometimes makes Teddy feel like an outsider, having grown up in poverty. He’s sure they all look down on him, and not even winning a Teacher of the Year award could change that. Still, he has his ways of dealing with people he doesn’t like, his own ways of teaching them a lesson. Like making up lies about a student’s integrity in a reference letter, for example, killing any chance of them getting into their college of choice. Children need to learn they can’t always get everything they want, after all, so it’s for their own good! Or what about testing out the toxic effects of his homegrown plants and herbs using his colleague’s drinks in the faculty lounge, because hey, what’s a little mild poisoning? In the end, they’d all deserve it.

And therein lies the reason why Samantha Downing’s books are so unputdownable. She has a remarkable talent for writing these completely batshit, over-the-top insane characters who nonetheless feel like they could exist—at least for a while anyway, which is enough. Also, someone like Teddy will inevitably make a ton of enemies, no matter how well he tries to mask his insincerity and evil intentions. While he’s easily the most twisted of them all, there were plenty other characters dealing with their own bizarre issues who could give him a run for his money. Throw all these fragile emotions, insecurities and suspicions in with the phoniness and overblown egos at a place like Belmont, and what do you get? A powder keg, just waiting for the perfect spark.

And when it explodes, I have to say, it does so spectacularly. I’m not going give anything away, but there were plenty of unexpected plot twists and jaw-dropping surprises. My only criticism is that after a while, some of these “bombshells” became slightly repetitive and felt a little contrived, as there’s a limit to how much I’m willing to be jerked around. Still, to be fair, I never felt like I was truly pushed to this point even if I did come close. Mostly, it was due to all the different POVs and how they were used, leaving no room for any guessing games or the delicious intrigue that comes with a good mystery, though ultimately, I do understand this was never meant to be that kind of book.

So just sit down, buckle up and enjoy the wild ride as Samantha Downing unleashes another nonstop thriller that will have you gasping for breath. Wish I could say more, but I won’t…for your own good! Kudos also to narrator David Pittu for pulling off all the different POV voices for the audio edition. I remember his amazing performance in My Lovely Wife as well and was definitely happy to see him return for another one of the author’s books.

Waiting on Wednesday 07/14/21

Posted on July 14, 2021 13 Comments

Mogsy’s Pick

Soul Taken by Patricia Briggs (March 8, 2022 by Ace)

Bring on book 13! And seriously, just how gorgeous is that cover? Dan dos Santos is so damn talented.

“Mercy Thompson, car mechanic and shapeshifter, must face her greatest fears in this chilling entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

The vampire Wulfe is missing. Since he’s deadly, possibly insane, and his current idea of “fun” is stalking Mercy, some may see it as no great loss. But when he disappears, the Tri-Cities pack is blamed. The mistress of the vampire seethe informs Mercy that the pack must produce Wulfe to prove their innocence, or the loose alliance between the local vampires and werewolves is over.

So Mercy goes out to find her stalker—and discovers more than just Wulfe have disappeared. Someone is taking people from locked rooms, from the aisles of stores, and even from crowded parties. And these are not just ordinary people but supernatural beings. Until Wulfe vanished, all of them were powerless loners, many of whom quietly moved to the Tri-Cities in the hope that the safety promised by Mercy and Adam’s pack would extend to them as well.

Who is taking them? As Mercy investigates, she learns of the legend of the Harvester, who travels by less-trodden paths and reaps the souls that are ripe with a great black scythe. . . .”

Review: Come With Me by Ronald Malfi

Posted on July 13, 2021 16 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Come With Me by Ronald Malfi

Mogsy’s Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Horror

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Paperback: Titan Books | Audiobook: Tantor Audio (July 20, 2021)

Length: 352 pages | 11 hrs and 25 mins

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Narrator (Audiobook): Joe Hempel

Come With Me by Ronald Malfi is a haunting, harrowing, breath-holding stay-up-all-night chiller of a novel about one man’s journey to uncover the hidden secrets of his late wife’s past. I loved this one to bits, and mark my words, while this may be my first book by the author, he’s just earned himself a fan for life.

Five weeks ago, when Aaron Decker first heard about the mass shooting at the mall near his Maryland home, his only thought had been for his wife Allison, who’d gone to shop there earlier in the day. After hours of torturous uncertainty and frantic unanswered calls to her cellphone, Aaron’s fears were finally confirmed: his wife had been among the victims gunned down by the crazed killer. Consumed with grief, our protagonist’s fragile state of mind is further threatened when, upon receiving his wife’s belongings from the local newspaper at which she worked, he finds a receipt in her name for stay at a North Carolina motel he’d never known about. Aaron had been out of town on business at the time, and Allison had paid in cash, leaving no evidence on their credit card statements. After her boss informs him that Allison had not been given any out-of-state assignments during that time frame, Aaron is forced to face the gut-wrenching possibility that his wife may have been having an affair.

However, this suspicion is soon dispelled, as Aaron travels to the motel in North Carolina and finds no evidence that Allison had been cheating on him. Instead, he is left with even more questions and a disturbing theory that his wife may have been conducting her own investigations into a string of mysterious deaths going back the last two decades or so. Inside a locked chest that belonged to Allison, Aaron finds a thick file containing her notes and information on the victims, all of them young, blond women. Other than that though, there appears to be nothing else linking the cases which are spread out over different states all along the east coast. Might this simply be research for a work project, or even a book Allison had been working on? But if so, why didn’t she tell Aaron, or any of her friends and colleagues at the newspaper? Why did she keep it to herself, doing all her traveling and information gathering in secret? As Aaron sets out to retrace the path Allison took, following the clues she left behind, he begins to wonder what else she had been keeping from him, and just how well did he know his wife?

Some might categorize Come With Me as horror, and indeed, there’s maybe just the slightest hint of ghostliness to this tale. Still, as far as paranormal elements go, that’s probably the extent. Rather, the novel reads more like a mystery or thriller-suspense with just a tinge of the supernatural, but under Malfi’s talented pen, I think just about anyone can enjoy this no matter which of the aforementioned genres you prefer.

In fact, the first thing that drew me in was the writing. Told via the second-person perspective which should have been jarring, this narrative mode instead had the effect of pulling me in straight away. Feeling adrift and lonely without Allison, a devastated Aaron tells this story to his late wife who was torn from him so suddenly, but whose spirit is with him still. The result was this immensely powerful, personal experience which brought the pain of the main character’s internal conflicts to the surface. Grief and loss are prominent themes, as you can imagine, and Aaron’s voice is tormented and raw as he initially struggles with survivor’s guilt, followed next by the shock of finding out that Allison had been living a double life behind his back. After that, there is also the determination to finish what she’d started, perhaps as a way to connect with his beloved wife one last time—regardless of who she’d been in her past life, or what she’d hidden from him.

The mystery plot is also extremely well crafted, rivaling and even surpassing the work of more established authors I’ve read from this genre. I loved the twists and turns, the red herrings and the subtly dropped clues, and best of all, despite its speculative elements, this story required no great leaps of logic or any over-the-top suspension of disbelief. It was, in essence, an intelligent and convincing contribution to the mystery-thriller genre, dark and suspenseful while steeped in genuine emotion and the complexities of loss and love.

Needless to say, this book has my highest recommendation. Come With Me is a multilayered mystery with haunted vibes that will appeal to thriller and suspense fans, but there’s also so much more about it to love, and you can be sure Ronald Malfi has now been added to my list of must-read authors.

Audiobook Challenge 2021: 2nd Quarter Update

Posted on July 12, 2021 13 Comments

It’s that time again! Summer is in full swing, and I know this update is a bit overdue, but better late than never. The 2nd quarter of the 2021 Audiobook Challenge wrapped up last month, so it’s time for another look at my progress as well as a list of the audiobooks I listened to in the last three months. But first, here’s a quick refresher on what the challenge is all about:

Challenge Details

Runs January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021. You can join at any time.
The goal is to find a new love for audios or to outdo yourself by listening to more audios in 2021 than you did in 2020.
Books must be in audio format (CD, MP3, etc.)
ANY genres count.
Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you can track your progress on Goodreads, Facebook, LibraryThing, etc.
If you’re a blogger grab the button and do a quick post about the challenge to help spread the word. If you’re not a blogger you can help by posting on Facebook or Tweet about the challenge.
Updates plus a giveaway will be posted twice during the year. The first update will be July 2, 2021, and the last update will take place on December 30, 2021.

Levels

Newbie (I’ll give it a try) 1-5
Weekend Warrior (I’m getting the hang of this) 5-10
Stenographer (can listen while multitasking) 10-15
Socially Awkward (Don’t talk to me) 15-20
Binge Listener (Why read when someone can do it for you) 20-30
My Precious (I had my earbuds surgically implanted) 30+
Marathoner (Look Ma No Hands) 50+
Over-Achiever (Power Listener) 75+
The 100 Club (Audiobook Addict) 100+

Another 19 audiobooks added to the tally, bringing my current total up to 37! As a reminder, I’m going for the Over-Achiever (Power Listener) level this year, which requires 75. It’s going to be close, but at this pace, I should reach my goal.

Are you doing the 2021 Audiobook Challenge? If so, how are you doing?