Very bad narration

The narration is terrible. Every few seconds she sounds like she is breathing through a straw or blowing up a balloon. Big waste of a credit. I can't follow the storyline because of that. Narrators can either make or break a good story.

41 people found this helpful

Keep an open mind...

I listened to this story with the expectation of it to be quite boring based on the other reviews that I read. I was pleasantly surprised by the twists and turns in it, but hoped for a little more excitement before the end of the story. It was still very entertaining and I would recommend it for a nice drive if you want to listen to something that keeps your attention and it does keep you a little thrilled throughout the story. I wish there was a sequel as I would like to know more about the concept of the family.

41 people found this helpful

Narrator Gulps for Air!

I am finding this a tricky book to listen to, and that is because the narrator has a really annoying habit of audibly sucking in air at the end of most sentences. I wonder if she is a stage actor and this technique of the quick intake of air is useful for a monologue? She also seems to have graduated from the William Shatner School of Speaking (I love W.S. but he is unique and so is his delivery of lines!) I could overlook the delivery if it weren't for the awful gulps for air after every sentence. I have tried slowing it down, speeding it up, turning the volume up and turning the volume down, and nothing works. There it is approximately 20 times a minute. Didn't a producer or editor listen to this and hear the same thing? It's truly baffling and truly irritating as I want to know how it ends. I'm thinking I'll just read it.

I hope Eva Kaminsky gets training, or can learn a different technique or perhaps use a different microphone? Maybe it's that simple?

That aside, I was really skeptical about this title being a paperback genre "cozy horror," but the writing is really solid. The character of Adrienne is really well drawn and for once, we have a character who is down to her last $20, who does not spend it on brie, a French baguette and a bottle of wine! She buys Pot Noodles because they were on sale! She buys sardines for her cat, who is a very picky eater, and she reuses her teabag. I really appreciated details like that.

I also loved Wolfgang, Adrienne's cat, who is as accurately drawn as only someone who lives with cats could do.

I would recommend this Audible title, but would suggest you listen very carefully to the sample before buying, just to make sure you can get past the narrator's very audible breathing.

16 people found this helpful

Spoilers ahead

I really wanted to like this book but the main character spends 95% of the book speaking about how scary the house looks, her cat, and how she's broke and needs to get paid by her clients.

The character is a freelance writer. I know freelance writers that write for a living and they're not broke like the main character is. The ending wasn't satisfying.

I kept waiting for thrills and scares and it wasn't scary. I feel like an R.L. Stine teen horror book is scarier than this book.

Finally towards the end of the book the character does more research on the house. She finally talks to more townspeople about the history of the home.

She finally goes to the library to research. Why didn't she research the house before moving in? You can research houses on real estate websites now.

It was just too slow for much of the book without much action. I'm sure it's not easy to write a book but at the same time as a reader I just wanted true spooks.

50 people found this helpful

UMM...Am I in the twilight zone?

This book had great reviews, like it was "terrifying" and "intriguing". If by terrifying they meant boring then I will agree. I was never once scared or worried. I could not wait for this book to end. It wasn't even good if you consider that it was probably written for teens...Cause I can do teen books sometimes. Besides being boring there were weird things like the main character being upset about how her " friends" treated her or if her "friend" was hurt after they had met only once! That does not make you a friends. Also there wasn't enough back story for you to care about her. The mystery was a big fat nothing. Looks like Im in the minority but I would not waste a credit on this book if I could go back in time.

32 people found this helpful

Gasping narrator

The narrator is great BUT. A serious mouth-breather. I was frequently distracted, counting her gasps for air in between sentences bs listening to the story.

Otherwise great narration and story. Very easy, yet suspenseful on a long car ride

13 people found this helpful

Story line not well put together

I was disappointed with this tale. Though the reader was fine, the story line was not well developed...I felt I had wasted my time and money on this audible book.

6 people found this helpful

Too many pauses read too slow. Story was good.

Too many pauses in reading and read too slow. Good story but narrator not so good.

9 people found this helpful

One of my top listens!

Would you listen to The Haunting of Ashburn House again? Why?

Absolutely! I feel as if this is the kind of book you can listen to again and again, so much detail that doesn't bog the book down will find its way out with every listen.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Adrienne, i find myself in her. Its so nice to find a ghost story without a level of romance. I love the passion of this girl and how she take courageous steps in her life!

Which character – as performed by Eva Kaminsky – was your favorite?

Adrienne, You almost forget its a book!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes! i found myself doing thing that made it possible for my to have my headphones in!

Any additional comments?

I am about to go see if this author has more books like this! Fingers crossed!

9 people found this helpful

Gripping

Kept me guessing until the very end. Loved every word of this creepy, vivid tale

9 people found this helpful