Category: Jingle all the Audio

 

 

The final week of Jingle all the Audio, we’re featuring two of my favorite narrators. Both have earned Audiofile Magazine’s Best Voices of 2014. First up is Lauren Fortgang who narrates the Elemental Assassin Series by Jennifer Estep. Currently working as an actor and voiceover artist, Lauren has also supplied the narration for close to 100 audiobooks. For the Elemental Assassin series, she steps into the shoes of the tough-as-nails assassin, Gin Blanco, also known as the Spider. Lauren breathes such life and vitality into the audios, that I can imagine seeing the world through Gin’s eyes just by listening. She is top notch and a perfect match with the fantastic writing of Jennifer Estep. The series is an urban fantasy, but does have elements of romance mixed in. The Elemental Assassin series takes my top spot as an audiobook recommendation for new listeners who are looking for an urban fantasy with punch.
Listen to a sample of Spider’s Bite by Jennifer Estep, Narrated by Lauren Fortgang:

Links:
Lauren Fortgang’s Website: http://www.laurenfortgang.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaurenFortgang

 

 

The final featured narrator happens to be my all time favorite narrator, Ray Porter who lends his voice to the Joe Ledger series by Jonathan Maberry. Also an actor and voiceover artist, Ray earned an Audie award nomination in 2014 for the Extinction Machine, the fifth book in the Joe Ledger series. Sometimes you run across a series of books that you devour and wait impatiently for the next installment. That is is exactly how I feel about the combination of Jonathan Maberry and Ray Porter. Audio Platinum! I can’t imagine not listening to a Joe Ledger novel, having Ray speak to me in the sarcastic drawl that is one of the best fictional heroes in the business. Joe has come up against all kinds of fearsome adversaries. From aliens to vampires to genetically engineered zombies, Joe and the Department of Military Sciences will stop at nothing to keep the world safe. I can’t say enough about the brilliance that is Ray Porter and Joe Ledger, making these my top pick for science fiction and thriller lovers alike.

Listen to a sample of Extinction Machine by Jonathan Maberry, Narrated by Ray Porter:

Links:
Ray Porter’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/ray5porter

Well that wraps up our Jingle all the Audio featured narrators for this holiday season. There are so many more incredible audiobook and narrator match-ups that didn’t make this list, but don’t hesitate to drop a message here or the Facebook page for recommendations catered to your specific genre likes.

For this week’s giveaway entry, please tell us what you like most about the holidays? Don’t forget to record your entry in the Rafflecopter and enjoy the rest of your holiday season!
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With audio books on the rise, the pool of great narrators is growing deeper every day. The first of three featured this week is Hillary Huber, who narrates The Midnight Breed series by Lara Adrian. With a multitude of both commercial voiceovers and audiobooks to her credit, Hillary has earned herself several Audie award nominations and numerous Earphone awards from Audiofile Magazine. She wields a wide range of accents and covers an impressive array of genres. I really enjoy Hillary’s ability to narrate a story while making recognizable distinctions between characters with her voice. She is the perfect center for Lara Adrian’s Midnight Breed series which happens to be an auto-buy for the paranormal romance lover in me. Hillary also lends her voice to the final installment of Larissa Ione’s Demonica series, Revenant, which releases this Tuesday.

Listen to a sample of Hillary Huber narrating Revenant from Larissa Ione’s Demonica series:

Links:
Hillary Huber’s Website: http://hillaryhuber.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hillatious

 

 

Earning an Audie Award nomination in 2013, Allison McLemore embodies absolute perfection in her narration of Diana Rowland’s White Trash Zombie series. I couldn’t imagine not listening to any of these fun science fiction novels that put a white trash spin on zombies and make you wonder if they really do exist among us. Angel Crawford is high on my short list of favorite female heroines in fiction and Allison personifies her lovable sarcasm to a tee. If the undead and SciFi is your thing, I highly recommend giving White Trash Zombie a listen.

Listen to a sample of Allison McLemore narrating My Life as a White Trash Zombie, Book 1 of the White Trash Zombie series:

Last this week, but certainly not least, Lauren Faye Smith is fairly new on the audio book scene in comparison to the two narrators above, but she certainly stands amongst the pack with her narration of Liliana Hart’s J.J. Graves series. Lauren’s approach to these romantic suspense novels is pretty straight forward, but her portrayal is both real and engaging. Paired with the wonderful writing of Liliana Hart, the J.J Graves audio books are definitely on my list of favorites.

Listen to a sample of Lauren Faye Smith narrating Dirty Little Secrets, Book 1 of the J.J. Graves Series:

For entry into the Jingle all the Audio Giveaway this week, let us know what you like to listen to this time of year.

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The first of the two excellent narrators featured this week is Khristine Hvam, who lends her voice to the Jane Yellowrock series, written by Faith Hunter. Khristine’s distinctive voice can be heard in various settings, including TV commercials, animated series, and video games. She has narrated over 100 audio book titles and earned an Audie award for her performance of Lani Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone.
I know and love Khristine Hvam as Jane Yellowrock, a rogue vampire hunter extraordinaire. She embodies the badass heroine so perfectly that I can’t imagine not listening to a Jane Yellowrock book. Faith Hunter creates an urban fantasy with a refreshing take on vampire lore. A great series for fans of the genre. There are romantic interests, but romance is not the center of the series.

Listen to a sample of Khristine Hvam reading Cat o’Nine Tales: The Jane Yellowrock Stories:

Links:

Khristine Hvam’s Website
Facebook Page

 

The second featured narrator is Tavia Gilbert, the exceptional talent behind the Night Huntress series, written by Jeaniene Frost. With over 300 audio books to her credit and numerous audio accolades, Tavia is definitely the cream of the crop. Providing the voice for a wide rage of genres, including fantasy, romance and literary fiction, Tavia has honed her vocal skills to expert precision.
The Night Huntress series is an urban fantasy romance and Tavia Gilbert succeeds at breathing life into the colorful and complex characters abound. She switches between the infamous Cat and Bones with effortless ease, taking the listener along for a fantastic and sexy ride.

 

Listen to a sample of Tavia Gilbert reading Halfway to the Grave, Book 1 of the Night Huntress Series: 

 

https://t.co/Pk6UvJXzR6

Links:

Tavia Gilbert’s Website
Facebook Page
Twitter

Giveaway:

To be entered into the Jingle All the Audio Giveaway this week, name your favorite festive hot or cold drink in the comments.

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Jingle all the Audio kicks off today and we are so excited! 

 

The holidays are just around the corner, which usually means busy schedules, overcrowded supermarkets and shopping malls, and an inevitable decrease in free time to pick up that latest from your favorite author. Don’t fret, Read-Love-Blog is dedicating the month of December to audiobooks and the narrators that make them a wonderful escape from the hustle and bustle. Audiobooks can be the perfect companion this time of year. You can delve into the worlds of your favorite authors while cleaning the house for company, baking confections for social gatherings, or that long trip home for the holidays. Audiobooks have come a long way and are available through a multitude of outlets, including your local library.

A narrator can make or break an audiobook experience and a huge reason why seasoned readers run for the hills at first listen. But hopefully, Jingle All the Audio will entice you to give audiobooks another try. Every Monday this month, I will feature one or two narrators that I believe embody the best of the best, with a wide range of genres to choose from; cheeky mysteries, frightening science fiction phenomenon, kick-butt urban fantasy, and blissfully hopeless romance. At month’s end we will give one lucky follower a chance to choose an audiobook from any of the narrators featured.

Today’s featured narrator is Katherine Kellgren who narrates the Royal Spyness series written by Rhys Bowen. Katherine is an award-winning narrator of over 200 audiobook. She navigates a wide range of accents and masters an abundance of voice inflections, making it easy for the listener to differentiate between characters, male and female alike. The Royal Spyness series is a collection of tongue-in-cheek mysteries centered around Lady Georgiana, thirty-fourth in line to the throne of England, who must find a means of supporting herself after the prospect of a disagreeable marriage is forced upon her.

You can listen to a sample of Her Royal Spyness, narrated by Katherine Kellgren here

Link to Katherine Kellgren’s Facebook

To be entered into the Jingle All the Audio Giveaway this week, name a confection you like to make or eat this coming holiday season in the comments. The sweeter the better!

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