Instagram story viewer> @moodreadermama> Posts

Shannon 🌈 Bookish Creative

@moodreadermama

8.1K

followers

5456

following

🎧 Audiobook Obsessed
🧠 Neurospicy
📚 Bookish Hype Girl
🫠 Real Life Sad Girl
❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜🩷

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Hi guys, this is something I’ve wanted to try for a long time and finally got around to putting some thoughts together. It has never felt like enough to me to say “oh this is the narrator and they did a great job”. Sometimes fantastic narrators are (IMO) miscast, sometimes there are pacing issues where one POV is super slow and you adjust your listening speed only to have the other POV sound like an auctioneer. Sometimes the narrators did a perfectly adequate job, but the experience of listening versus eyeballing would have no material impact to story enjoyment. And other times a story is lifted up BECAUSE of the narrators performance.

The tricky part for me has been how to label these in a way that is clear, simple and doesn’t sound like I’m dumping on someone when it’s not a great experience.

For now I have decided to use a combination of the following 3 words Enhanced, Neutral, & Detractor.

Hopefully they are self explanatory, but Enhanced recommendation means that it is my opinion that the audio performance added to the reading experience and that if audio is an option for them I recommend checking this one out in that form.

Neutral is exactly what it says, it did not improve nor decline the listening experience, the narrators showed up and did exactly what they needed to do to make sure this book was accessible to all readers and I have no complaints. With a neutral recommendation I would say pick whichever format suits your preference and access.

Detractor will be used when something about the listening experience leads me to believe that I would have enjoyed the book more had I just eyeball read it.

I anticipate using these in mixed for form too (neutral enhanced for pretty good but not earth shatteringly so, for example).

This may change as I adjust to trialing this information but all the reviews I drafted yesterday utilized this new information so I wanted to get something up first to explain it. For obvious reason this will only be on my audio reviews.

QOTD: Do you think this information will be beneficial in helping determine which format to grab? by @moodreadermama

3

21

2 years ago

Spot the imposter! by @moodreadermama

41

2

4 months ago

Just Playing for Keeps by Lauren Blakely
📚Just Playing for Keeps by Lauren Blakely
🎧ALC Review (Copy gifted by the Author)
🚨While reviewed copy is gifted, opinions are always my own.
Status: Available Now

🥰Enjoyment: He falls first. That’s it. That’s the review. KIDDING but also not really because that trope will never not have me in a chokehold. The chemistry in this one was absolutely chef’s kiss and I had such a good time with our grumpy MMC slowly but surely falling hard for our FMC. This is book two in the Hockey Ever After series and I am very much along for the ride on this one.

📢Narration: Full cast on this one with Erin Mallon and Jason Clarke leading the duet, plus Savannah Thomas and Ryan West rounding out the cast. No complaints from me, everyone fit their characters and it made for a really enjoyable listen.

Audio Rec: Positive by @moodreadermama

11

0

4 months ago

Library run this weekend to sign up for the summer reading program because some traditions are non negotiable. 📚☀️

I *may* have also informed them that when I was a kid I absolutely owned this program and my expectations for them are accordingly high. No pressure. (Pressure.) 😂

QOTD: Any one else nostalgic for those little personal pizzas? (Which, at least at our library, are now sponsored by Peter Piper which is going cost me a fortune when we go in to redeem it.) by @moodreadermama

3

4

4 months ago

(For the booksta purists, there is a book in this picture, do you see it?) by @moodreadermama

3

3

4 months ago

When life decides to shake everything up, you call in the big guns. 🔮📚

Currently leaning on this little stack from @rpmystic because apparently that’s where we are. Tarot and TBR in equal measure. No notes, just vibes and wild souls over here. by @moodreadermama

3

3

4 months ago

She gives me cuteness aggression.

I’ve gone from “ehh maybe we can get a cat eventually” to certified cat lady in an alarmingly short period of time. by @moodreadermama

230

32

5 months ago

📚Rules for the Summer by Meghan Quinn
🎧ALC Review (Copy gifted by the Author)
🚨While reviewed copy is gifted, opinions are always my own.
Status: Available Now

🥰Enjoyment: The premise on this one really got me and I genuinely enjoyed watching our MMC show up for our FMC again and again… the way he just wanted to help and protect her? Very much here for it. There were a couple of characters that were absolutely insufferable but like… that was the point, so well done on that front. This one did leave me thinking that my eyeballs may have served me better than my ears on this particular read though.

📢Narration: Full cast on this one with Stella Hunter, Shane East, Cassandra Medcalf, and Gary Furlong. Shane East is one of those narrators that is very hit or miss for me personally and this one landed more in the miss column. I genuinely think if I had given the MMC a voice in my own head I would have found him more amusing and less “too much” than I did. No regrets on listening, but my eyeballs are feeling a little smug about it.

Audio Rec: Detractor by @moodreadermama

3

0

5 months ago

📚Just for the Cameras
🎧ALC Review(Copy gifted by #meghanquinnreviewcrew)
🚨While reviewed copy is gifted, opinions are always my own.
Status: Available Now, on KU

Enjoyment: I’m always excited for a new MQ series. Her books are like my security blankies at this point and this one was just the dose of comfort I needed. I was admittedly a little ambivalent off the start, Greydon was kind of grumpy guy to start, but once his “protect the girl at all costs” mode kicked in it was all good from there. Maybe it my favorite MQ story but still really enjoyable and I loved the Gladdy Daddies (sp? Since I only listened I’m not sure). I can’t wait for OC’s story.

Narration: I love Connor Crais and that MQ always does duet or full cast. The female narrator is good just not preferred casting. Still a decent listen though. by @moodreadermama

3

0

8 months ago

📚In Your Dreams by Sarah Adams
🎧ALC Review(Copy gifted by @prhaudio)
🚨While reviewed copy is gifted, opinions are always my own.
Status: Available Now, Not KU

🥰Enjoyment: I was so nervous and simultaneously excited for this one. The end of a series I have so enjoyed, with characters I have been teased for the prior books?! It had a lot to live up to and for me that often means bad things, but I am thrilled to share I absolutely adored Madison & James love story. It had so much freaking heart, and we know I love a down bad MMC. Plus friends to lovers: yes all my boxes were ticked.

📢Narration: I think this was my first book narrated by Christine Larkin (don’t quote me on that) but she reminds me a lot of Patty Murin in tonality, so I really enjoyed her narration. Chase Brown was also new to me and I really enjoyed him as well. by @moodreadermama

3

1

9 months ago

📚Love in Plane Sight by Lauren Connolly
🎧ALC Review(Copy gifted by @prhaudio)
🚨While reviewed copy is gifted, opinions are always my own.
Status: Available December 16, 2025, Not KU

🥰Enjoyment: As soon as I saw the author and narrator (Karissa Vacker) combo, I was in. Went in basically blind and was even more delighted to find we had a “brother’s best friend has always had it bad for her, and she doesn’t have a clue”. The stoic yearning as he repeatedly shows up for her?! Yes. Even better was that it lacked the classic “my brother will be so mad” that is usually a staple of the trope. Loved that.

📢Narration: If I see Karissa Vacker on Narration? I’m gunna at least give it a try. She is one of my favorites. No regrets.

QOTD: What is a trope you love to see? by @moodreadermama

3

11

10 months ago

Watched this last night. I enjoyed it. This is one of my bottom two EH reads and I barely recall details of it aside from the overall premise, so not your ideal “how did the book compare to the movie” reviewer here, but I enjoyed the watch. It didn’t make me urgently need to reread the book. And I’m glad they didn’t include one tiny infuriating detail from the book that always made me crazy. That is all. by @moodreadermama

27

6

9 months ago