Series: Tales of an Extraordinary Girl, 1
on November 1, 2009
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Twenty-four-year-old barista Belle Jamison dreams of a better job and a decent love life. Until a crazy scientist spikes her mocha latte! Suddenly Belle can wield the four elements—earth, wind, fire and water—with only a thought. Coffee too hot? No problem. Hair in need of a blow-dry? Done.
Gorgeous government agent Rome Masters has been sent to neutralize Belle. But he's not the only one after her. Together they must outrun the rogue agents on their trail and find a way to control her powers. There's just one problem: the sparks Belle and Rome generate are even hotter than the ones flying from her eyes—and with her future on the line, now is the worst possible time to fall in love….
Playing with Fire and Mate Set: Mating Heat my Favorite Audio Books of 2014
Audio books can be a challenge, if there is something off about the writing boy does it show when you add sound. I mean drawn out scenes in print, you can just apply speed reading, the couple taking too long to hook up, to the point you want to do an intervention and say either pi$$ or get off the pot. Well those things are glaringly, irritatingly obvious in audio.
In 2014 I had two books I really enjoyed and they were both in the paranormal spectrum and I have read both of these in print, so I kind of knew what I was getting into.
Belle Jamison is misunderstood, yes she has some trouble being on time and holding onto her menial jobs but, she has other duties. She is the last person you would expect to gain superhuman powers and a fine shadow in Super Spy Agent Rome.
Rome does not know if he can trust Belle, he has been sent to neutralize her. Unfortunately he cannot bring himself to do it, instead he convinces her to join forces.
This listen has some ugly reviews but I love this series, it reads like a funny urban fantasy and I love action books that make me laugh. Belle and Rome are a unlikely team. He is super hot, dark and moody. Belle handles a lot of the unexpected situations like a normal person. I mean who would deal well with hot creepy men with super powers chasing you and your crush with an ex with the power to read your mind!
Straight to the Swagger: Tell of opposites attracting and funny, plus a hot hero who does not know what to do with the crazy chick he has fallen for.
Mate Set: Mating Heat, Book 1, Laurann Dohner
Narrated by: G. C. VonCloudts
Length: 7 hrs and 25 mins
Series: Mating Heat, Book 1
Mika a human is nursing a broken heart in a shifter town during mating season (can you just smell the trouble). She gets caught in the open by a group of mangy male shifters who think she is fair game because she is human and not mated. Along comes fine, strapping Grady, who happens to be one of the top enforcers in the local pack.
Bookswagger Marcia: Five Crowns, major swagger a must read. I like this book, what can I say I bought it twice. There are some slow parts and Grady the half human, half shifter had some human issues. Which made him ubber team shifter, it caused some great conflict between him and Mika but you know sometimes authors do not know when to ease up. Put a fork in the thing. But it was still great!
Mika and Grady fought, made up fought other bad guys you name it, the story came packing with plenty of action.
Straight to the Swagger: Think alpha male, cool human chick who knows just a little too much about shifters gets her own bodyguard and boy what they do with the time!
lilyelement
Great picks, I’m still working my way through GShowalter books, they’re all great can’t believe I didn’t read many of them as they were coming out.
Bookswagger
Yes. This is a three book series I love just funny. I wish she had kept it up. But I get a lot of people did not like this one. But it is so hard to find a funny book with paranormal elements. This one always makes me laugh out loud.
thegeekyblogger
Oh my! I am so glad to the LD series on there. I will have to move it up on my TBR!
Bookswagger
Yes, I liked this one super hot hero. I am a sucker for the human heroine vs alpha male shifter!
Krista
In 2014, I tried out the Kate Daniels series and it was awesome! I enjoy the audio much more than reading the physical book.
Bookswagger
I have heard she is great, I have a few of her books I found some good deals on been meaning to give her a go, since I like her as a person as well but never thought to look them up in audio.
YvonneJ
This summer I discovered Katherine Kellgren’s narration of L.A. Meyer’s Bloody Jack series and listened to the 11 books back-to-back. I’m waiting for my library to get the final (12th) book in the series….hopefully next month.
Bookswagger
Oh wow, I will have to look this one up. Anything that motivates a person to listen to 11 books back to back is worth freaking googling.
Lisa @ Captivated Reader
Sounds like you listened to a lot of wonderful audiobooks… I now have more titles to add to my wishlist!!
Bookswagger
Cool hope you enjoy them, hit me up if you give them a chance would love to know what you thought.
Jen B
I enjoyed SEALed with Love by Heather Tullis.
Bookswagger
I have not heard of her, will be looking her up! Thanks for stopping by.
bn100
no fav last year; not sure what’s coming out
Bookswagger
Cool thanks for stopping by.
January
My favourite that I listened to last year was The Stand by Stephen King! Thanks for the giveaway! 😀
Bookswagger
ohh I am not sure if I could do that one on audio on I am such a punk sometimes
lupdilup
I listened to Playing with Fire a looooong time ago! I’m ashamed to say I don’t remember much of it, maybe it is time to re-visit. I have take a look at my notes on that one.
I haven’t heard of Mate Set, I have to take a closer look, sounds great 🙂
Thank you so much for particiapting and for sharing your favorites.
I have to pick just one of my favorites, it would be Magic Breaks…I think 😉
lupdilup
Thank you for the Giveaway!
Bookswagger
No problem, I really like the story but some of the reviews were crazy bad, many found the narration irritating and girly. But I don’t know if I just love the story since I read a print version first but I like it. If a book can make me laugh while I am working the painful day job it is a keeper.
sharonda
Lurvs G Showalter even though I haven’t read her work in a while…bad me, lols. Been hearing good think about L Dohner’s books…maybe I try her one of these days. Good picks Ms Swagger 🙂
Bookswagger
Thanks, now Dohner I do think you would like, very arrrr alpha men, but reminds me of all those good books I used to like with the over the top male but in a good way.
Bewitching Brews
Omg…I am an audiobooks addict! In 2014, my favs were The World of Fae by Terry Spear, The Gods’ Trilogy by Debra Holland, The Redstone Security series by Katie Reus and Talon by Julie Kagawa. They were all fabulous, engrossing listens! Thanks for the giveaway!
Linda Townsend
Bookswagger
Thanks for stopping by, I have read one Kate Reus book before but I def have to check her out on audio and Talon, that looks good. It is so hard for me to hit click when I am buying audio because of the price. So always looking for good recommendations.
nrlymrtl
Last year, i really enjoyed the first two books in the Dead Eye series by Jim Berheimer (narrated by Jeffry Kaffer). I am hoping the third will be out soon!
Bookswagger
Oh nothing like the wait for a good book, it can be torture! Thanks for stopping by and the recommendation.
belindaegreen
What Audio Book did you enjoy in 2014 or which one are you looking forward to this year?
I haven’t listen to an audio book yet. The jury is still out for me. I’m still leery and reluctant to find that my vision of what the characters and voices look or sound like in the books aren’t the same. I’m sure I will get there especially if the cost comes down.
Thanks for the opportunity!
Belinda G
Bookswagger
Lol, the cost is def a factor. When I listened to my first audio book, I went through my local library via overdrive…It was horrible, one of my fav books but it must have been one of the first romances ever made into an audio read because sounded just like a computer sucky, sucky! It took me a while to try again and sometimes I still check out through the library but the newer versions.
If you are game you might want to give it a try and start with something you have read before. Thanks for stopping by.
Diana Leigh
I love Gothics, so I’ve got my eye on Miramont’s Ghost by Elizabeth Hall, coming out next month. Thanks for sharing your picks!
Bookswagger
Cool, hope the month pasts quickly. I listening to a romance now set in New Orleans and it is chocked full of unsettled ghosts. I am such a punk but the XXX scenes keeps me pushing.
anne3230
I liked so many, Murder of Crows and Night Broken are just two.
Bookswagger
I will have to check it out, have not come across them before.
Brooke
I’m looking forward to listening to Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews, it’s at the top of my audiobook TBR for this year. 🙂
Bookswagger
I keep getting her as a good one, but I have not read or listened to her yet. I am going to have to give her a go!
Tamye Whitener
Reblogged this on Books, Coffee, and Crafts News Emporium.
Bookswagger
Thanks for stopping by.
Stormi D Johnson
One of my favorites from last year was Branded by Laura Wright, it was also the first time I had a male narrator in a romance novel. 🙂
Bookswagger
I will have to look her up. My first male narrator threw me a little bit but the due did the thing. I was surprised now, I don’t care a good narrator is a good narrator.
BookLady
Audiobooks are a new format for me. I would love to win one in the paranormal romance or urban fantasy genre. Thanks for the great giveaway!
Bookswagger
Cool, thanks for stopping by… Good luck.
Jaime Lynn
I have never listened to an audio book before, but I have always wanted to. I am not sure which I would even start with, so I will have to do some extensive review research to make sure I pick the right one for my first one!
Bookswagger
Yes, at least sign up for audio and do the freebie trial download, just remember to cancel so you will not get charged the next month and pick something good. When I first started the historical romances were my fav. Julie Garwood and those accents, they are still my go to.
Sophia Rose
I really enjoyed Davina Porter’s narration of Outlander, but your remarks about weaknesses in print being twice as glaring in audio cracked me up b/c there were two other books I listened to that set my teeth on edge and it wasn’t the narrator’s fault.
Bookswagger
Yes, it is so true. I mean something about adding audio that just puts a big spot light on little things you are more inclined to forgive or not notice. It really can drive you nuts. I know in one story I am listing to now, I really like it but if those damn tears trickle down her face one mo gin, on mo!
tanyamarieward
I just started listening to audio books in 2014, and I love the experience! I really liked Remy by Katy Evans and Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire. Thanks for the chance!
Bookswagger
A friend of mine gifted me three books in that series, she really enjoyed it but I have not read them yet. I am going to have to give them a go though, they are on my bookshelf just mocking me.
rhireading
I loved The Madman’s Daughter so I’m hoping to continue the trilogy this year.
Bookswagger
I have not heard of that one will def have to look it up, thanks for stopping by.
Alysia @My Little Pocketbooks
I loved The Night Circus and so many others. Lolita was really good too! Thanks. 🙂
Bookswagger
I have not read or listened to either, will have to check them out. One good thing about this hop is seeing what everyone loved!
anna@herding cats & burning soup
I’m still “new” to audiobooks but already, whew, yeah have seen that. I have Dohner’s book on the tablet and really need to get to it. Showalter is always a fave but huh I have not read that one! Must fix that!
Thanks Marcia!
Bookswagger
Yes, the Showalter one you either love or hate, I saw some posts when she ended the series like forever ago and many where like good (the nicest way I can put that). Mate Set is Dohner at her best. I mean she has been having some uh ohhs lately but this is so not one of them.
Ardent Ereader
My favorite so far this past year was One plus One by JoJo Moyes. Great narrators and very funny book!
Bookswagger
New to me author but I will be checking her out, thanks for stopping by. Love the recommendation.
Kristen @ Pretty Little Pages
I’ve never listened to an audiobook before, but I have SO many suggestions after this hop!!
Ann S
I loved the Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost. Thanks for the giveaway!
bookaholiccat
My favorite audiobooks of 2014 were book 1 and 2 of The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson. In 2015 I’m looking forward to the new Kate Daniels and Charley Davidson books.
Thanks for the giveaway!
Bookswagger
I have to look up Brandon Sanderson. I do like Kate Daniels, have to check her out on audio though.
Megan@Riverina Romantics
I love Gena Showalter! Can’t you tell by my avatar LOL? My fav audiobook that I read this past year was probably Cade by Liliana Hart and narrated by Mark Comstock.
Bookswagger
You know I have that on my wishlist but since I have never read her was not sure about it! But so glad that is a fav of yours, the sample sounded so good. I love the avatar, I have no tats but I have been thinking about it so much lately. I guess it is the thirty dirties talking to me.