Joseph E. Kovacs
- 9
- reviews
- 1
- helpful vote
- 121
- ratings
-
The Lost Wife
- A Novel
- By: Alyson Richman
- Narrated by: George Guidall, Suzanne Toren
- Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 5,988
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 5,441
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 5,434
In pre-war Prague, the dreams of two young lovers are shattered when they are separated by the Nazi invasion. Then, decades later, thousands of miles away in New York, there's an inescapable glance of recognition between two strangers. Providence is giving Lenka and Josef one more chance. From the glamorous ease of life in Prague before the Occupation, to the horrors of Nazi Europe, The Lost Wife explores the power of first love, the resilience of the human spirit, and the strength of memory.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Love, Strength & Survival
- By Sara on 01-27-14
- The Lost Wife
- A Novel
- By: Alyson Richman
- Narrated by: George Guidall, Suzanne Toren
I will listen to any book read by Guidall
Reviewed: 07-07-15
What did you love best about The Lost Wife?
loved the story. would have been a little better if they had more time at the end
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
definitely sad - but the reunion should have been longer
Any additional comments?
marvelous story line - could not wait to the end
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
I Am the Messenger
- By: Markus Zusak
- Narrated by: Marc Aden Gray
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 42
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 36
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 37
Meet Ed Kennedy - cab driving prodigy, pathetic card player, and useless at sex. He lives in the suburbs; he shares coffee with his dog, the Doorman; and he's in nervous love with Audrey. His life is one of peaceful routine and incompetence - until he inadvertently stops a bank robbery. That's when the first Ace turns up. That's when Ed becomes the messenger. Chosen to care, he makes his way through town, helping and hurting (where necessary) until only one question remains. Who's behind Ed's mission?
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
My New Favorite Book
- By Mimi B. on 06-23-15
- I Am the Messenger
- By: Markus Zusak
- Narrated by: Marc Aden Gray
not in the same category as Book Thief
Reviewed: 07-07-15
This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?
Young audience
What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?
how simple human gestures can mean so much
Did the narration match the pace of the story?
yes
What character would you cut from I Am the Messenger?
the bad guys didnt seem tofit
Any additional comments?
nice feel good story - but less than i expected after reading the Book Thief
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Matterhorn
- A Novel of the Vietnam War
- By: Karl Marlantes
- Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot
- Length: 21 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 9,450
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 7,138
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7,135
Why we think it’s a great listen: A performance so poignant, we gave Bronson Pinchot (yes, Balki from Perfect Strangers) our inaugural Narrator of the Year award.... In the monsoon season of 1968-69 at a fire support base called Matterhorn, located in the remote mountains of Vietnam, a young and ambitious Marine lieutenant wants to command a company to further his civilian political ambitions. But two people stand in his way.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
A First For Me . . . And The Last
- By Glen on 05-24-10
- Matterhorn
- A Novel of the Vietnam War
- By: Karl Marlantes
- Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot
a war story to remember
Reviewed: 07-07-15
Is there anything you would change about this book?
i would have liked to know how the characters that survived this awful war, and the commanding officers that used them, fared afterwards
How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?
the bravery and suffering was not recognized by the marine hierarchy...i found this disturbing
What about Bronson Pinchot’s performance did you like?
surprisingly good
Do you think Matterhorn needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?
yes. Perhaps the ones who most deserve condemnation will receive it and those that suffered for no apparent military reason should be praised
Any additional comments?
Strong anti-war message in a real life war setting. Should be required reading for all in war college.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
The End of the Affair
- By: Graham Greene
- Narrated by: Colin Firth
- Length: 6 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 11,456
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 10,410
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 10,362
Graham Greene’s evocative analysis of the love of self, the love of another, and the love of God is an English classic that has been translated for the stage, the screen, and even the opera house. Academy Award-winning actor Colin Firth (The King’s Speech, A Single Man) turns in an authentic and stirring performance for this distinguished audio release.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Colin Firth Kills It
- By Em on 05-09-12
- The End of the Affair
- By: Graham Greene
- Narrated by: Colin Firth
Colin Firth's narration is worth the listen, super
Reviewed: 07-07-15
If you could sum up The End of the Affair in three words, what would they be?
brilliant, moving, tragic
What other book might you compare The End of the Affair to and why?
Any Human Heart by William Boyd. Each brings out emotions for lost loves and lives and are brilliantlyconstructed
Have you listened to any of Colin Firth’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
no.but i will now look for them
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Her Royal Spyness
- By: Rhys Bowen
- Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren
- Length: 8 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 13,949
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 12,421
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 12,379
Agatha Award-winning author Rhys Bowen’s charming combination of intrigue and romance blended with a touch of humor shines when performed by Audible Hall of Fame narrator Katherine Kellgren, whose deft range and impeccable accent work make it hard to believe this isn’t a multicast performance.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Joy, Joy, Joy!
- By Coffee Lover on 01-17-11
- Her Royal Spyness
- By: Rhys Bowen
- Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren
not worth the time
Reviewed: 07-07-15
What would have made Her Royal Spyness better?
while it was an interesting time historically, the story was wasted on silly and incredibly predictable characters
What could Rhys Bowen have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?
respect the reader
Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Katherine Kellgren?
she did the best she could with adolescent material
If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Her Royal Spyness?
made characters real instead of charicatures
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry
- By: Gabrielle Zevin
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 7 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 11,734
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 10,540
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 10,532
The irascible A. J. Fikry, owner of Island Books - the only bookstore on Alice Island - has already lost his wife. Now his most prized possession, a rare book, has been stolen from right under his nose in the most embarrassing of circumstances. The store itself, it seems, will be next to go. One night upon closing, he discovers a toddler in his children’s section with a note from her mother pinned to her Elmo doll: I want Maya to grow up in a place with books and among people who care about such kinds of things. I love her very much, but I can no longer take care of her.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry
- By teatime on 05-07-14
- The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry
- By: Gabrielle Zevin
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
warm, intelligent, memorable
Reviewed: 03-08-15
What made the experience of listening to The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry the most enjoyable?
as a small story, you get to love the character
What was one of the most memorable moments of The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry?
his love for the girl he adopted
What about Scott Brick’s performance did you like?
pacing was perfect
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
many times...the romance and illness
Any additional comments?
in the vein of 'a place like Aice' and the 'Unusual Journey of Harold Frye. Great storytelling and characters
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
The Zero
- By: Jess Walter
- Narrated by: Christopher Graybill
- Length: 10 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 132
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 90
-
Story3.5 out of 5 stars 91
From its opening scene, when hero cop Brian Remy wakes up to find he's shot himself in the head, novelist Jess Walter takes us on a harrowing tour of a city and a country shuddering through the aftershocks of a devastating terrorist attack. As the smoke slowly clears, Remy finds that his memory is skipping, lurching between moments of lucidity and days when he doesn't seem to be living his own life at all.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Wow ...
- By Dawn J on 08-01-07
- The Zero
- By: Jess Walter
- Narrated by: Christopher Graybill
confusing
Reviewed: 03-08-15
Would you try another book from Jess Walter and/or Christopher Graybill?
i love Jess Walter's books....but not this one
What do you think your next listen will be?
another Walter book
What aspect of Christopher Graybill’s performance would you have changed?
he did fine with what he had
You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?
the character was like Chauncey Gardner - out of it
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Beautiful Ruins
- By: Jess Walter
- Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini
- Length: 12 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 12,493
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 10,963
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 10,958
The story begins in 1962. On a rocky patch of the sun-drenched Italian coastline, a young innkeeper, chest-deep in daydreams, looks out over the incandescent waters of the Ligurian Sea and spies an apparition: a tall, thin woman, a vision in white, approaching him on a boat. She is an actress, he soon learns, an American starlet, and she is dying. And the story begins again today, half a world away, when an elderly Italian man shows up on a movie studio's back lot - searching for the mysterious woman he last saw at his hotel decades earlier.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
My mind wandered
- By Ella on 11-25-12
- Beautiful Ruins
- By: Jess Walter
- Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini
one of the great reads
Reviewed: 03-08-15
If you could sum up Beautiful Ruins in three words, what would they be?
funny, different, funny
What did you like best about this story?
the orchestration of the characters
Which character – as performed by Edoardo Ballerini – was your favorite?
Ballerini was great. I liked Pasqualli, Richard Burton and the writer
Who was the most memorable character of Beautiful Ruins and why?
Richard Burton .....just very funny scenes
Any additional comments?
great listen
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
The Girl on the Train
- A Novel
- By: Paula Hawkins
- Narrated by: Clare Corbett, Louise Brealey, India Fisher
- Length: 10 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 140,779
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 124,009
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 123,884
The debut psychological thriller that will forever change the way you look at other people's lives. Every day the same. Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning and night. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. Jess and Jason, she calls them. Their life - as she sees it - is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
The Girl on The Train
- By BookReader on 12-30-15
- The Girl on the Train
- A Novel
- By: Paula Hawkins
- Narrated by: Clare Corbett, Louise Brealey, India Fisher
very pathetic characters
Reviewed: 03-08-15
What would have made The Girl on the Train better?
better 'sleuthing' by rachel....avoiding the shrink....getting some redemption from the police; tom;s new wife and her roomate
What was most disappointing about Paula Hawkins’s story?
the weakness of the Rachel character
Which scene was your favorite?
confronting Tom at the end
What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?
sadness at her lonely life
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!