Category Archives: iTunes

“The Collector,” by Nora Roberts

Front Cover The CollectorInside Covers Art The CollectorSignature page The CollectorBack Flap Credits The CollectorBack Cover The CollectorBookSpine

 

“The Collector,” by Nora Roberts surprises, entertains and inspires. Lila is charming with how she makes the most out of all situations. She’s always willing to help out which, in one case, may get her into some trouble.

I don’t want to give away any of the treasures you must uncover for yourself, so not much about the details of the story here. This is a murder mystery romance. It’s also an adventure, comedy and drama.

Laughter, crying and anger are the emotions I experience as I read “The Collector”. Nora is very good at pulling the emotions out of me. She also writes page turners I’m unable to put down – home run with this book. Descriptions of the settings are out of site from downtown New York – street level and a bird’s eye view from the 14th floor window – to Italy. Beautiful scenes of the people, city and rural landscape. Nora took me there for an afternoon better than any movie.

The hard cover book is pictured above with cover and without. Note the back flap is hard to read so I’ll give the credits here:

Jacket design by Richard Hasselberger
Jacket photograph of city
Copyright Sandra Kreuzinger/Getty Images
Photograph of the author Copyright Bruce Wilder [Personal note from me – thank you Bruce Wilder for an excellent picture of Nora – love the scene you chose to frame your subject.]
penguin.com
G.P.PUTNAM’S SONS
a member of
Penguin Group (USA)

“The Collector” book is well crafted and very beautiful with burgundy shades and gold lettering on cover and spine. A great edition to any library shelf. Mine also has a signature from the author virtually via the link: http://ttpbooks.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Store_Code=TTPB&Screen=PROD&Product_Code=COLLECTOR_HC

Getting a personalized copy of your own is still an option, just follow the link above and be sure to read my post at this link: https://melissablanchard62.wordpress.com/2014/04/19/facebook-posting-from-turn-the-page-bookstore/
Where you’ll learn all the best practices to get your signed copy anywhere in the world that mail is able to reach.

I also purchased the audiobook from iTunes at this link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/audiobook/the-collector-unabridged/id852344791

Julia Whelan is an excellent narrator. Her accents and vocal artistry identified each character for me. Every inflection of Julia’s voice convey the emotions of the characters. I enjoy listening to Julia and will again I hope. Nora’s excellent dialog and seamless narratives did the rest.

I hope you all find “The Collector,” as entertaining and adventurous as I do. Now I’m off to read, “Shadow Spell” by Nora Roberts. I’m loving the Cousins O’Dwyer’s trilogy so far. Thank you Nora Roberts for delivering with “The Collector”.

 

 

 

“The English Daughter” by Lindsay Townsend

The English Daughter Cover Image from an Internet Google search on the phrase: The English Daughter, by Lindsay Townsend

“The English Daughter,” by Lindsay Townsend is a beautifully written romantic suspense novel showing the same mastery of the genre as Phyllis A. Whitney in her novel “Hunter’s Green”.

How do I explain the significance of this style of writing?  Scenes so well crafted I can see the characters in my mind’s eye.  Flowing movement of the players in quiet desperation to escape an evil force that is not fully identified until the very end.

“The English Daughter,” is about life and death with a tender romance that heals Val’s self-image.  The love scenes are tasteful and allow for imagination – they are not the focus of the tale.  The mystery of Val’s dreams and the unknown killer is the purpose of the telling.

First, I traveled to Corfu in Val’s dream – vivid and dark, where she witnesses a crime she could not have seen.  Then I arrive in the beautiful Corfu – a place I’ve never been but feel as though I’ve been there through the brilliant depictions designed by Lindsay.

Beautiful landscapes, towns and intense sunlight is the backdrop where the crime was committed.  Lindsay also uses Val’s vocation of piano restorer in the narrative. She weaves the intricacies of restoring wood to its original unblemished state into the healing of her cast.

Why do I recommend this book to all that enjoy romantic suspense? The account of Val’s life and travels in the here and now and in her dreams brings fulfillment to me as a reader. All of Lindsay Townsend’s work has had this impact on me. Her writing is a reminder to me of why I love reading books. Examing her work now takes me back to the stories I read as a teenager finding ideas of stories I’d like to explore from my Grandma Effie’s book of the month club. When yarns were written to engage the reader and take them on an adventure of discovery. “The English Daughter,” is a story that appeals to all generations and all genders. I hope you take the time to look up this book and take a trip to Corfu.

I enjoyed the audiobook production of this story as well. The narrator, Michelle Ford, does an excellent job of telling the account. Her voice is very melodic keeping me absorbed in the descriptive tale as I listen to it over and over.

I bought the audiobook from the following source:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/audiobook/english-daughter-unabridged/id547504841

Kindle e-book is available at the link below

Learn of other points of purchase at Lindsay Townsend’s blog:

http://www.lindsaytownsend.net/2008/04/english-daughter.html

Recommend The Snow Bride by Lindsay Townsend

I recommend, “The Snow Bride” by Lindsay Townsend.
The audiobook was well engineered and the reading, by Victoria Scott, was musical.
The story was an adventure into medieval England. Characters were expressive and engaging. The scenes were descriptive and inviting in most cases.
There were scenes that were scary and full of tension keeping the reader entertained and interested.
The part I liked best about Lindsay’s book was the hope and the love expressed by the hero and heroine. They had to find a common language, get beyond outward appearances and prejudices. Very well done work on overcoming disabilities and special gifts (which to some would have seemed like trouble in medieval times) to the core of human nature to love and be loved and to overcome evil.
Thank you, Lindsay, for a tale that brings so much hope and true caring and understanding to the reader. I will be reading more of your books. I’m glad we connected on tweeter, @lindsayromantic, keep on tweeting.

The audiobook is available at the following links – you may also get the book & e-book as well:

Audiobook:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/audiobook/the-snow-bride-unabridged/id623851422

E-book:

Paperback book:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-snow-bride-lindsay-townsend/1108479903?ean=9781619269910