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Ferris wakes on the Sea Queen, an enchanted cruise ship sailing on a chocolate sea. He has no idea how he got here and desperately wants to go home to his boyfriend.
The Alchemist is the only person who can help Ferris, but he’s been kidnapped. The ransom is high tea with scones and jam.
Meanwhile, the passengers are gearing up for the Winter Masquerade, a ball where love and magic reign.
With a murderous musician, an absent boyfriend and a mystical party, Ferris soon learns that Wednesday is not the day to fall in love.
ButtonsMom2003 on Goodreads wrote:We get to follow Ferris down the “rabbit hole” only it’s a magically enchanted cruise ship sailing on a chocolate sea filled with white chocolate dolphins, rainbows in the sky, no violent boyfriend, and the person he needs the most is missing. In the midst of the famed winter ball, Ferris must maneuver his way around the guests, find his way through the magic and not become distracted. One thing Ferris remembers, is Saturdays are the best day to fall in love and NEVER EVER on a Wednesday.
The author, Kevin Klehr magically transports his listeners into this new world with vivid descriptions, rich characters, and a writing style that draws his audience deeply into the story. I found the story to be well written although at first, I was confused but only because it was not what I expected. This is a story reminiscent to Alice in Wonderland. The similarity is reflected in some of the more absurd pieces but there is so much more to this story. Such as, it is a rally around those who are victims and an exercise in seeing things for what they truly are and for people to take a step and move forward, do not remain trapped or a victim.
The narrator, Jon Bolitho-Jones gives an entertaining performance with unique voices for each character. His cadence is steady and enthusiastic when needed, he portrays each character according to their role and personality. He spoke clearly. I have not had the pleasure of hearing Bolitho-Jones before but hope to hear more performances.
Overall, this is an entertaining and captivating book with a fantasy-based storyline and plot twists that one can enjoy.
There were no issues with the quality or production of this audiobook, it was well done.
Trio on Goodreads wrote:This was my first book by this author and this narrator. It took me a bit to get into the story but the audio performance hooked me right from the beginning. Jon Bolitho-Jones did such a fantastic job that Winter Masquerade sounded like it was performed by multiple voice actors.
Fantasy is not usually my first choice of what to read so that probably explains why it took me a little bit to get into the story. I rarely re-read or re-listen to books but the audio for this one is so good that I think I will listen to it again. I’m sure that the second time around I will have a better appreciation for the story as well as enjoy re-listening to a great audio performance.
This stunning story left me speechless. I’m in awe of Kevin Klehr’s marvelous writing, and while I try to gather my thoughts about Winter Masquerade, let me rave a bit about the talented narrator, Jon Bolitho-Jones.
I’ve never had the pleasure of listening to this remarkable voice actor before, and I sincerely hope this is the first of many! This is a high spirited and lively story, and Mr. Bolitho-Jones keeps up the pace, and adds even more zest to the spectacle. And his ability to create a unique voice, which perfectly suits each of this incredibly varied cast of characters, is admirable… not to mention, there’s singing !
Okay, so I’m still pretty overwhelmed, and I think trying to do justice to Kevin Klehr’s Winter Masquerade in a book review might be an impossible task. It’s easy to applaud the author’s skill at weaving this clever story through the two parallel worlds. And heartily praising his impressive creativity and wit is a no brainer. But I’m afraid I’m incapable of capturing the essence of what listening to Winter Masquerade meant to me.
I think all that’s left to say is: BRAVO Mr. Klehr! Thank you for creating something so enjoyable, for sharing this piece of your heart, and mostly, for touching me so deeply with Ferris’ emotional tale.