Nina Müller – Kuschelflosse: Das unheimlich geheime Zauber-Riff (Incl. Short English Review)

This story is written by a German author and not translated into English. For a short English review please see further below.

Hörbuch gelesen von Ralf Schmitz
Verlag: cbj audio
veröffentlicht: 2015
Zeit: 1h 24min

Klappentext:

Kuschelige Fische, kichernde Schwimmerdbeeren, eklige Quallenrotze – ein fröhlich-durchgedrehter Hörbuchspaß für die ganze Familie!
Willkommen in Fischhausen! Hier leben Kuschelflosse, das Seebrillchen Sebi, Herr Kofferfisch und die Schwimmerdbeere Emmi. Eines Tages hört Kuschelflosse im Unterwasser-Radio von einem geheimnisvollen Riff. Dort soll eine uralte Zauber-Schildkröte wohnen, die Wünsche erfüllen kann. Zusammen mit seinen Freunden macht sich Kuschelflosse auf die abenteuerliche Reise zum Zauber-Riff … (cbj audio)

In Kürze:

+ ein spannendes Abenteuer mit Kuschelflosse und seinen Freunden
+ eine Geschichte über Mut, Freundschaft und Zusammenhalt
+ die Autoren hat eine tolle und hinreißende Unterwasserwelt erschaffen
+ wunderbar erzählt von Ralf Schmitz

Meinung:

Kuschelflosse und das unheimlich geheime Zauber-Riff ist nicht nur ein sehr schönes und zuckersüßes Abenteuer mit einer schönen Botschaft am Ende, sondern wird von Ralf Schmitz einfach fantastisch gelesen.

Zugegeben ich bin sicherlich schon ein wenig alt für Kinderbücher, aber mir macht das Lesen und auch das Hören immer noch ein Riesenspaß.

Kuschelflosse begibt sich auf die Suche nach dem geheimen Zauber-Riff und der darin lebenden Schildkröte, um sich das aller, aller wertvollste auf der Welt zu wünschen. Dabei begleiten ihn seine Freunde Sebi, Herr Kofferfisch und Emmi. Während ihrer Reise müssen die Freunde einige Gefahren meistern, durch Strudel schwimmen, Torte essen und geraten mitten in eine Seeigel-Volkszählung.

Die Geschichte ist spannend erzählt und die Welt unter Wasser ist farbenfroh, lebendig und entzückend. Die Figuren sind liebenswert, vielfältig, mutig, einfallsreich und individuell. Dabei haben alle unterschiedliche Eigenschaften und ergänzen sich wunderbar. Mir sind die Figuren an Herz gewachsen und ich würde Fischhausen auch gerne einmal besuchen und mir eine Hängematte mit Flauschi teilen.

Das Hörbuch ist für Kinder ab 4 Jahren geeignet, dabei denke ich aber es kommt auf das Kind an. Die Geschichte ist zwar spannend aber nicht gruselig, da kann das Hörbuch sicher auch schon früher gehört werden.

Vielen Dank an cbj audio für die Bereitstellung dieses Rezensionsexemplars.

Fazit:

Ein wunderbares Abenteuer über Mut, Freundschaft und Zusammenhalt.

In English:

This wonderful and charming children’s book is not translated into English and though I am not technically a child anymore – I really enjoyed this audiobook. The little fish Kuddly (my rough translation of the German name) is on his way to find a very secret magic reef where an old turtle lives and grants each visitor a wish. Kuddly wants to meet this turtle to wish for the most valuable gift ever. He and his friends than begin their journey and are exposed to many adventures, dangers, and an urchin population census.

The story is wonderful, fun, entertaining, and exiting. The characters are loveable, brave and each with divers characteristics that work well together in this adventure. The world under the sea is beautiful and sweet (I really would like to see it) and the message at the end of the story is a good one: the greatest thing and the most valuable gift are true friends.

Andrea Sawatzki – Von Erholung war nie die Rede (incl. Short English Review)

This book is written by a German author and I listened to this audiobook in German as well. For a short English review please see further below.

©Amazon/Hamburg Hörbuch

Audiobook (German)
Informationen zum Buch:
Taschenbuch
Verlag: Piper Taschenbuch
veröffentlicht: 272
Seiten: 216

Klappentext:

Im Nachhinein kann man Gundulas Entscheidung, mit ihrer Schwiegermutter Susanne in die Ferien zu fahren, als durchaus leichtsinnig bezeichnen. Aber die Verlockung eines sonnenwarmen, harmonischen Urlaubs auf Norderney war stärker als die Vernunft. Doch schon die Überfahrt verläuft alles andere als reibungslos, es regnet Bindfäden – und dann steht auch noch ihre liebeskranke Mutter Ilse in der Hotellobby. Ihr derangierter Zustand aber ist nur ein kleiner Vorgeschmack auf die amourösen Schicksalsschläge, die Gundula in diesem Urlaub treffen. (Amazon)

In Kürze:

+ Familie Buntschuh im Urlaub
+ Figuren waren etwas nervig
+ aus verschiedenen Perspektiven erzählt

Meinung:

Handlung: Diesmal verschlägt es die Familie in den Urlaub nach Norderney – im Herbst. Das Wetter ist schlecht, die Kinder haben keine Lust, die Hunde sind dabei, weil keiner auf sie aufpassen wollte, die Schwiegermutter hat eingeladen, Gundulas Bruder und Schwägerin kommen auch und dann sind da noch die ständig nervenden Anrufe der eigenen Mutter, die einem ein schlechtes Gewissen machen möchte. Die Handlung war eine etwas andere Kopie der Weihnachtsgeschichte.

Figuren: Die Figuren waren genauso nervig wie das letzte Mal. Sie haben sich weder geändert noch weiterentwickelt. Gundula nervt, genauso ihr Mann, die Kinder und der Rest der Familie. Eigentlich möchte man in das Hörbuch springen und allen eine Ohrfeige geben. Wie schwierig ist es denn bitte, einmal zu reden.

Sprecher/Stil: Diesmal wurde die Geschichte aus mehreren Perspektiven erzählt: Gundula, ihr Mann und Schwiegermutter. Die Abwechslung hat ganz gut getan und war erfrischend. Andrea Sawatzki hat wie immer toll gelesen.

In English:

A family consisting of parents, two children, a brother and his wife as well as the two mother-in-laws is vacationing on an island in the north sea in autumn. The weather is awful, the children don’t want to go or be there, the two dogs are accompanying them because nobody wanted to care for them, the female protagonist’s mother-in-law has invited them to this vacation, her brother and sister-in-law also join the group and the female protagonists own mother constantly calls and annoys her and the reader.

The protagonists are annoying, they don’t really develop (but I have noticed that some characters in this genre or category – the chick lit for the older chick – don’t develop at all), and I sometimes just wanted to shake them awake.

The story is, however, narrated from different perspectives which livens the story, which in itself was not too bad. But I just couldn’t warm up to the characters.

Nina Blazon – Laqua: Fluch der schwarzen Gondel

This book is written by a German author. For a short English review see further below.

Hardcover
Verlag: cbj
veröffentlicht: 2012
Seiten: 384

Klappentext:

Der Dunkle Doge erwacht

Ein gruseliger, zugiger alter Palazzo, Dauerregen und eine grantige Urgroßmutter. Na großartig! Kristina und Jan sind zunächst nicht gerade begeistert, dass sie die Ferien in Venedig verbringen sollen. Dass sich des Nachts seltsame Schemen aus der Lagune erheben und katzengleich die Wände der Häuser hinaufgleiten, macht die Sache für die beiden Geschwister auch nicht besser. Als dann auch noch ihre Großkusine Sara verschwindet und sie sich auf die Spur des gruseligen Dogen begeben müssen, beginnt für die Kinder in den Gassen Venedigs ein fantastisches Abeneuer, das seinesgleichen sucht. (Amazon)

In Kürze:

+ wunderbar, spannendes Abenteuerbuch
+ liebenswerte Protagonisten und gruselige Wesen
+ so lebendig beschrieben, dass man das Gefühl hat, neben den Figuren her zulaufen

Meinung:

Venedig ist definitiv eine Reise wert – sei es in Person oder aber in einem Buch. Ich habe dieses tolle Abenteuerbuch für Kinder verschlungen. Es war spannend, unterhaltsam, ein wenig gruselig, lustig und einfach nur toll.

Kristina und Jan müssen die Ferien bei ihrer Oma in Venedig verbringen, die nicht nur komische Bräuche hat, sondern auch nicht begeistert ist, dass ihre Enkel und ihre Tochter über Weihnachten da sind. Also versuchen die Kinder ihre Zeit abzusitzen. Dabei begegnen sie nicht nur Geistern sondern treffen auf eine schwarze Gondel. Um dem Geheimnis auf die Spur zu kommen und ihre Tante zu retten, müssen sich die Kinder nicht nur mit den verhassten Familienfeinden anfreunden, sondern sich auch dem Dogen stellen.

Ein wirklich wunderbar erzähltes und spannendes Abenteuer, das einen nach Venedig entführt. Die Figuren sind liebenswert, sympathisch und nicht verzogen, die Freundschaft zwischen den Kindern der verfeindeten Familien ist natürlich und wirkt nicht erzwungen, die Geister und dunklen Gestalten sind schaurig und die Großmutter ein liebenswerter Muffel.

Es war durchgehen spannend, die Kinder sind kindlich geblieben, mussten aber Mut beweisen und gelegentlich Hilfe in Anspruch nehmen. Der Schreibstil war flüssig und die Handlung so lebendig beschrieben, dass ich das Gefühl hatte, mit durch die Straßen Venedigs zu laufen und genauso nass zu sein wie unsere Protagonisten.
Es ist ein wirklich tolles Abenteuerbuch was durchaus auch für Jungen geeignet ist (trotz eines bisschen Verliebtseins).

Bottom Line:

Ein tolles, spannendes und unterhaltsames Abenteuer im tollen und mystischen Venedig.

In English:

Kristina and Jan have to spend their christmas vacation with their aunt at their grandmother’s house in Venice, who is not thrilled that they visist her at that time of the year. As both parties are not happy to be there, mysterious things start to happen and they discover some strange protection spells their grandmother uses – but against what. While ghosts and mysterious black gondolas appear the children have to stop an old family feud to discover the truth and safe their aunt.

This is a fast-paced and wonderful adventure story: The protagonists are likeable and no brats. The friendship between Kristina, Jan and the children of the rival family develops naturally and is not forced. The ghosts, strange creatures, and the black gondola are a little scary and the grumpy grandmother quite loveable.

The story was fast-paced and the writing fluent. The descriptions were so wonderful and vivid that I felt I was running through the streets of Venice myself and I was as wet and cold as the protagonists at times. The children remained childlike, had to show and develop courage, yet also asked for help when they needed it.

This is a great adventure story for girls and boys even though there is a little love around (but you barely notice).

Rating:

My Reading Month January

A new year and I am still reading less than I want to, but I listen to a lot more audiobooks. My way to work is a little longer and the house work does not seem to decrease, therefore my hours of listening to audiobooks have increased quite a bit this month. In addition, going through all the personal paper work and cleaning those files cabinets out is a lot more bearable with a nice audiobook.
I digress, so let’s get started.

• Books: 2
• Audiobook: 8
• Pages (only books): 736
• Pages (incl. Audiobooks): 4864
• Minutes listened: 3404 min. (over 56 hours)

Books:

Martin Wehrle – Sei einzig nicht artig.

This non-fiction book is maybe something like a self-help thing, though it does not tell you how to do anything really. Basically, this book illustrates how many of your choices have been somehow made by other people in your life or by society as a whole and not by yourself. You don’t always (or sometimes never) choose things because you want them or like them but because of what is expected of you – and you don’t even really notice it. Or some things you notice, but it helps that someone else points them out to you again. Anyway, I really enjoyed this read. This does not mean I am going to change my life or my habits or my thought patterns right away, but at least I think a little about it. Sadly, this is written by a German author (yeah for readers who read German), and I doubt this will be translated into English. I am sure, though that there is a similar book on the English-speaking book markets.

Marliese Arold – Dem Pharao Versprochen

Another German book this month was written by one of my favorite children’s book authors. After I started reading and listening to her magic girls series (about witches, who were exiled into the human world and now have to hide their witch powers so they are not discovered), I came across this story set in Ancient Egypt. Anchesenamun, the sister and wife of Tutanchamun, is a the center of this story as she and her best friend are thrown into the intrigue and politics of the Egyptian court. Not only is she barely teenager, she is also in love with someone else and if that is discovered it could cost them their lives. I enjoyed the setting of the story, since I loved reading novels set in Ancient Egypt when I was younger and I thoroughly enjoy Ancient Egyptian mythology. It was a nice story for young girls, that did lack a little bit of action for me. Since it was more a story dealing with emotions rather than an adventure story, I had a few difficulties to relate to the main character, but then again I am quite a bit older than the intended reader.

Audiobooks:

Kai Meyer – Die Muschelmagier/ The Pirate Emperor (The Wave Walkers #2)

I enjoyed this novel as much as the first in this pirate adventure series. Jolly and Munk continue to save the world, yet their magic and power affects both quite differently. This part follows Jolly a little more and we get to read less about Munk, which I personally did not mind since I was getting on my nerve. However, the narrator was fantastic as always and the story thrilling.

Eva Stachniak – Der Winterpalast/ The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great

I have listened to quite a few historical novels, but this is my first set in Russia. The story follows a young girl who works at the royal court and becomes a spy. She also becomes friends with a young and unsure Sophie – later Catherine the Great – whom she is dedicated to, only to learn that there are no friendships at court. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the setting. I remember some of the historical facts from school, but this made me want to catch up on my Russian history.

Petra Durst-Henning – Die Champagner Königin

Isabelle has married a man her parents did not approve of, when he inherits a vineyard and the move to France. The young woman is enchanted by the landscape and the possibility of a bright future. Yet nothing is a pretty as it seems: a rival is already waiting to destroy them and fate strikes a devastating blow. It was a nice and easy story, that was entertaining and enchanting (I felt a little mesmerized when listening to the descriptions of the landscape). A good audiobook.

Sabine Ebert – Die Entscheidung der Hebamme

The is the third installment in the series about a midwife in the middle ages. Old rivals always return, fate strikes again and again, and cruelty seems to reign supreme. It was a good story, at times it felt a little jumpy as they try to cover quite a large time span. I just need a little break from the series and I am sure the main character would need that too. How much can happen to one poor person.

Lena Johannson – Die Ärztin von Rügen

I was in a historical novel mood, as this was my forth in a row. Yet all of them set in different times or at least different countries. This was a rather slower audiobook as this was not so much about action and abuse of the female character (as many novels set in the middle ages are). Anne has lived and worked with her father (a doctor) all her life. But when the train comes to Rugia a lot more doctors come along and not all of them are pleased to see her work as a doctor’s assistant. And then there are two young doctors who do not mind her at all. It was a lovely and slow book, that was entertaining, yet I could see so many things from afar long before she noticed any of it – which made me a little annoyed at her but also took away some of the excitement.

Ursula Niehaus – Das Heiligenspiel

Another novel set towards the end of the middle ages centers around the young woman Anna who is neither pretty nor desirable and surely not loved by her mother. She manages to live a somewhat comfortable and happy life when rumors start to swirl and make her out to be a saint. She tries to explain and rectify those assumptions, yet people don’t believe her. With those rumors and the changes in her life, envy comes crawling out of the woodwork. It was a good read, though I could not relate to Anna and I had difficulties with the development of the story and thus her life. There seem to be too many coincidences that always put her in awkward positions, yet there was nothing she could have done either. I just seem to have difficulties with the lack of control she had and the missing desire to have control.

Ulrike Schweikert – Die Herrin der Burg

I haven’t noticed how historical novel heavy my audiobooks were this month. Another historical novel set in the middle ages centering around two half sisters who are thrown into the turmoil of a brewing war. Though the premise was interesting and the book had good reviews, I had quite some issues to get into the story: to many places, names, and characters. It was confusing and it took me a while to figure out what was happening with whom and who belonged to which side. I can honestly say, that I still don’t know for sure. Maybe I should have read this one instead of listing to it and maybe I should have freshened up on my history lessons from school before starting this novel.

Trudi Canavan – Die Rebellin/ The Magician’s Guild

Trudi Canavan is great. I have read this book some time ago in English and now I listened to the German audiobook version and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was fun, entertaining, and narrated and translated well. I really like Sonea and I could not stop listening, just as I could not stop reading back in the day. The story world is great, the characters likable, the story well constructed. I loved it again.