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Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Last House on the Cliff [Audiobook] in Books

Sep 11, 2022

This is a dark and creepy mystery/thriller that kept me engaged from the start.

Lowri hasn't had the happiest lives so far and when she returns to Anglesey on the death of her beloved aunt, Gwyn, she thinks this might be the start of a better life for her and her daughter, Ruby. Little does she know what nightmare awaits.

The location and setting of this story is genius; the author captures the small island village and the ever present dangerous cliffs together with the dark and creepy atmosphere of the house perfectly and I was transported there by her excellent and vivid descriptions.

There are quite a few characters and it did take me a while to get a grasp on them all but they are an interesting and eclectic bunch and not all of them are particularly likeable but all fit in and have their place in the story.

The story itself is a complex one of historical family trauma that spans generations. There is a pervading sense of the creepy and the unsettling from the start with some great twists culminating in a very satisfying ending that brought everything together.

The narrator was excellent; her voice was absolutely perfect for the story and I actually think I enjoyed it more because of her narration. Would I have enjoyed it had I read it rather than listened? I think so but I would definitely have had trouble with pronouncing the Welsh words!

Overall, a great audio book to keep you company whilst driving, cleaning or doing just about anything that doesn't need a lot of thought and many thanks to HarperCollins UK Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts on The Last House on the Cliff.

Kudos

Jessica Del Fino (15 KP) rated OverDrive: eBooks & audiobooks in Apps

Jan 3, 2018

OverDrive: eBooks & audiobooks

Book, Entertainment

8.2

(24 Ratings)

App Rating

Puts your local library at your fingertips, literally. Use your phone to borrow books. (2 more)

You have a choice of formats for most books: Kindle, Ebooks, even Audio

No trekking through the snow, rain, heat to return overdue library books

Limited availability of some books (0 more)

I absolutely love this app, and use it almost daily! My favorite thing about it is that you can use it to read on your phone if you choose, i.e. if a book isn't available in Kindle format. I'm no longer afraid of the Library Police either, because the books are returned on their own on the date they are due! With my library and Overdrive, you can choose your lending period, 7, 14 or 21 days. You can put books on hold, create a wishlist, and view your reading history. Overdrive is a must for readers like me!

Kudos

Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Iron Hearted Violet in Books

Apr 27, 2018

I read a lot of fairy tails as a kid, but never have I read one this profound and unique: an ugly princess, a helpful dragon, a gifted farm-hand, a crazy story-teller, and an evil god trapped in the stones of an ever-changing castle. The language was beautiful and fluid and enchanting, the characters were all unique and special, and the plot itself had me sitting on the edge of my seat the whole time. I never wanted it to end but I was so happy with the conclusion. On top of it all, the audio-book was wonderfully read, full of character and voice, and Simon Vance nailed the personalities of the characters. I have no doubt I will re-read this book eventually, and I am adding Barnhill to my Author Watch list.

Kudos

Peter Shephard (2822 KP) rated Google Home Mini Smart Speaker in Tech

May 28, 2019

Google Home Mini Smart Speaker

Home Audio & Theater > Speakers

7.8

(62 Ratings)

Tech Rating

Good clarity of audio (0 more)

Sometimes talks to itself(!) (0 more)

Fun and useful

We've had the Mini speaker for about 18 months, with a Google music pass. It's been a great addition, and has been really useful for small-to-medium parties (say up to 10 people) as a good background music player, or for smaller parties as the main music.

Being able to link your phone to Broadcast is nice, and sometimes a great way to get the kids to actually listen when it's time for bed! Also, being able to control the song and volume from the phone app is very useful.

We have tried it a couple of times, but there are also games and really cringeworthy dad-jokes abound.

It would be great if the games were a little more interactive, but that would obviously be something for the future development.