Book Nerds Across America: audiobook

Showing posts with label audiobook. Show all posts

Sunday, February 2, 2025

BOOK REVIEW: THE LOST HOUSE BY MELISSA LARSEN

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

Forty years ago, a young woman and her infant daughter were found buried in the cold Icelandic snow, lying together as peacefully as though sleeping. Except the mother’s throat had been slashed and the infant drowned. The case was never solved. There were no arrests, no convictions. Just a suspicion turned into the husband doing it. When he took his son and fled halfway across the world to California, it was proof enough of his guilt.

Now, nearly half a century later and a year after his death, his granddaughter, Agnes, is ready to clear her grandfather’s name once and for all. Still recovering from his death and a devastating injury, Agnes wants nothing more than an excuse to escape the shambles of her once-stable life—which is why she so readily accepts true crime expert Nora Carver’s invitation to be interviewed for her popular podcast. Agnes packs a bag and hops on a last-minute flight to the remote town of Bifröst, Iceland, where Nora is staying, where Agnes’s father grew up, and where, supposedly, her grandfather slaughtered his wife and infant daughter.

Is it merely a coincidence that a local girl goes missing the very same weekend Agnes arrives? Suddenly, Agnes and Nora’s investigation is turned upside down, and everyone in the small Icelandic town is once again a suspect. Seeking to unearth old and new truths alike, Agnes finds herself drawn into a web of secrets that threaten the redemption she is hell-bent on delivering, and even her life—discovering how far a person will go to protect their family, their safety, and their secrets.

TEE'S THOUGHTS:

For some reason, my winter is never complete until I read a good mystery set in a desolate winter location, it gives the story an atmosphere that feels barren and cold, sometimes almost frightening. I find that snow absorbs the sounds somewhat, making it seem almost silent, knowing that adds a bit of " no one can hear you scream " aspect to the story. The Lost House by Melissa Larsen ticked every box, with its wintery location in Iceland.

Larsen was absolute perfection at describing the scenery, the location, and the characters, it all drew me in quickly, and reaching for a fluffy blanket to shield me from the frosty air I imagined as I listened along.

Probably the thing I liked least, and please know, when I say this, it wasn't a dislike that would make me not want to continue reading, or even give the book a lower rating, this is purely on me. The book includes a podcast, and in the past few years, it feels like every book I pick up centers around a podcast and I am just tired of that aspect of a story, it feels overdone to me personally. However, I am sure plenty love this in a book.

Anyway, Agnes goes to Iceland to appear on a podcast to speak about the murder of her grandmother and aunt. Her grandfather was the suspect in their murders and she is trying to clear his name. While she is there, a girl also goes missing, so she and the podcast host set out to find her.

The mystery is well crafted and the story has plenty of suspense that drives the plot and brings the characters out of the pages into a plausible situation. Speaking of characters, there are several, and you will have a hard time trying to decide if they are trustworthy or not.

The Lost House is entertaining and well-written, and I look forward to reading what Larsen puts out next.

Wednesday, June 19, 2024

BOOK REVIEW: SUMMER AT THE SAINT BY MARY KAY ANDREWS

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

Everyone refers to the St. Cecelia as “the Saint.” If you grew up coming here, you were “a Saint.” If you came from the wrong side of the river, you were “an Ain’t.” Traci Eddings was one of those outsiders whose family wasn’t rich enough or connected enough to vacation here. But she could work here. One fateful summer she did, and married the boss’s son. Now, she’s the widowed owner of the hotel, determined to see it return to its glory days, even as staff shortages and financial troubles threaten to ruin it. Plus, her greedy and unscrupulous brother-in-law wants to make sure she fails. Enlisting a motley crew of recently hired summer help—including the daughter of her estranged best friend—Traci has one summer season to turn it around. But new information about a long-ago drowning at the hotel threatens to come to light, and the tragic death of one of their own brings Traci to the brink of despair.

Traci Eddings has her back against the pink-painted wall of this beloved institution. And it will take all the wits and guts she has to see wrongs put to right, to see guilty parties put in their place, and maybe even to find a new romance along the way. Told with Mary Kay Andrew’s warmth, humor, knack for twists, and eye for delicious detail about human nature, Summers at the Saint is a beach read with depth and heart.

TEE'S THOUGHTS:

I always look forward to a Mary Kay Andrews book, she has the ability to make me cry or laugh while feeding me a great mystery. Her summer releases are always a favorite. Maybe. I do love a good holiday story and hers are the most merry!

Summers At The Saint, her newest book was once again a winner with me. It was a fantastic beachy summer read, but it also had a bit of heaviness included within it to keep it from being too fluffy.

The St. Cecilia, or the Saint as it is know by the rich clientele that summer there sets on the coast of Georgia. Traci Eddings owns it, inheriting it from her husband when he died. She is struggling trying to keep it a float, but she has a lot that is working against her, mainly her late husbands family. The descriptions of the hotel, from the front receiving area to the kitchens all painted a vibrant picture of where you were.

All the characters in the book, and there were plenty, from the family to the summer workers, were well written and thought out. Traci was not from a rich family, she spent her summers there as a lifeguard at the hotels pool, but ended up marrying the bosses son. There is certainly a class struggler's between her and her dead husbands family.

The mystery has been unsolved for decades, and it has a surprise twist that I will confess I did not figure out. It is a great little who done it that added plenty of intrigue to the family drama.

I read and also listened to this book, which made the 400 plus book go by quickly ( everyone who knows me know I do not like a book that roams over 350 pages ), but I feel like it was a fast paced book either way. The narrator Kathleen McInerney made the listening pleasurable with her smooth and silky voice,

Summer At The Saint is fun and entertaining and it is the perfect summer read for everyone.

Sunday, May 26, 2024

Book Review: If Something Happens To Me by Alex Finley

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

For the past five years, Ryan Richardson has relived that terrible night. The car door ripping open. The crushing blow to the head. The hands yanking him from the vehicle. His girlfriend Ali’s piercing scream as she is taken.

With no trace of Ali or the car, a cloud of suspicion hangs over Ryan. But with no proof and a good lawyer, he’s never charged, though that doesn’t matter to the podcasters and internet trolls. Now, Ryan has changed his last name, and entered law school. He's put his past behind him.

Until, on a summer trip abroad to Italy with his law-school classmates, Ryan gets a call from his father: Ali's car has finally been found, submerged in a lake in his hometown. Inside are two dead men and a cryptic note with five words written on the envelope in Ali’s handwriting: If something happens to me…

Then, halfway around the world, the unthinkable happens: Ryan sees the man who has haunted his dreams since that night.

As Ryan races from the rolling hills of Tuscany, to a rural village in the UK, to the glittering streets of Paris in search of the truth, he has no idea that his salvation may lie with a young sheriff’s deputy in Kansas working her first case, and a mobster in Philadelphia who’s experienced tragedy of his own.

TEE'S THOUGHTS:

I will always pick up a book by Alex Finley, ever since I first received an advance copy of Every Last Fear, I have been hooked. I know when I pick up a Finley book I am usually in for a great thriller that will keep me reading and on my toes.

If Something Happens to Me, was good, not as good as previous books in my opinion, but it did keep me reading. It was face paced and twisty and I always appreciate that, and I believe Finley can tell a story that is well written, in-depth, and entertaining.

The audio book, which I listened to had three point of views and all three narrators, Paul Dateh, Helen Laser, and John Piralla, did a great job with their parts.

I went into this one blind, which I really enjoy doing on thrillers, so I wasn't sure what I was getting into. There were at times I felt like the plot was a little over the top, but as always Finley has written a heart pounding mafia type thriller that will keep all thriller fans reading until they reach the end.

Wednesday, March 8, 2023

Audio Book Review: He Said It Would Be Late by Justine Sullivan

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

Liz Bennet is fortunate with love and she knows it. She’s married to a wealthy, handsome, bright, all-around charming man. Arno, a wonderful husband and adoring father to their daughter, Emma, is the outward picture of perfection. But, when Liz sees a text on Arno’s phone with a couple of kissy faces attached, she starts to worry. And worry. And worry.

As any respectable wife would, Liz must find out exactly what’s going on. And so she takes a deep dive down the rabbit hole, peeling back layers of deceit, following every lead on what she increasingly believes is an extramarital affair. Could her husband really be cheating on her? Or is he just as perfect as he looks?

Liz wants the truth, at all costs, but as life teaches us, not everything is as it seems.

TEE'S THOUGHTS:

He Said He would Be Late was listed as a domestic thriller, however, I would place it under a more general fiction heading. The story centers around Liz, a writer and her husband Arno. It is a story of marriage, motherhood and distrust.

Liz finds a text message on her husband’s cell phone from a co-worker that has some what she feels is a suggestive kiss emoji and becomes convinced that Arno is having an affair. Question…do y’all look through your husband’s phones? It has never occurred to me to check mine’s phone. I trust him and he has never given me a reason not to, nor does he look through mine.

Right from the start I was not a fan of Liz, she seemed like a major whiner. I don’t think she had real wanted her baby, or if she did she now regretted having her because she was stuck at home taking care of her and felt unfulfilled. Arno hired her a Nanny to help look after their daughter to free Liz up so she could work on her second novel, her first one having sold fairly well. So she was given the opportunity to work and not have to watch the baby all day. I found her irrational in her thoughts and actions when it came to Arno also and they led her to a somewhat downward spiral to find the truth on if he was actually cheating.

The writing was good, but I felt a bit bored, or frustrated, I can’t decide which, trying to keep up with the different ways she would try to catch Arno cheating. It does however give you great insight into just how far and fast her obsession was going. Even though I was bored with parts of the book because of the previous reason, Liz’s actions were both crafty and cringey enough to keep me reading, I had to know what she was going to get up to next, so in that aspect I enjoyed the book as a whole. The ending …well it does have a last minute twist that did not really thrill me, but I can see others really liking it.

All in all I enjoyed He Said He Would Be Late. I did listen to the book on audio and really enjoyed the narration. The narrator kept the tempo up well and helped move it along.

THANK YOU MACMILLAN AUDIO AND NETGALLEY FOR THE EARLY LISTEN.

HE SAID IT WOULD BE LATE WILL BE PUBLISHED MARCH 14, 2023

Saturday, September 25, 2021

Audiobook review: Margarita in the Spotlight by Maria Frazer

Book Summary

Margarita McCoy plays banjo and sings back-up in her stepsister Stephanie McCoy’s wildly popular country music band.

Margarita isn’t particularly passionate about music, but she loves Stephanie and would do anything to help her—and that includes being thrust into the media spotlight after an article in the New York Times calls out country music for its lack of diversity. Since Margarita’s father is Mexican American, the McCoy’s record label wants to use her to show that they aren’t as white-washed as the article says.

For Margarita, the media frenzy is overwhelming, and quickly has her considering how exactly she should define herself and her identity. How Mexican American is she? How should she use her 15 minutes of fame? And how come no one ever taught her about Selena Quintanilla?

MARGARITA IN THE SPOTLIGHT is a fun and empowering story about identity, family, music, and the power of finding your voice—featuring original music that will delight your ears and get your toes tapping!

Flo's Review

Y'all. I felt this one. I grew up in Tennessee, so I am a fan of country music. For awhile there, I would spent many of my weekends line dancing at my local country bar, and I even worked at a country music magazine for a little bit. Whenever people found out I liked country music, the reaction was very, very surprised. Usually when I explained the whole, "I'm from Tennessee," thing, understanding dawned in their eyes. But before that it looked like people were thinking, but they would (rarely) say, "A Black girl likes country music?"

I'm aging myself a little bit, because that was several years ago, and country music has become much more diverse in that time. But, I definitely understood on a personal level a lot of what was happening with Margarita in this story. Even without that personal connection, though, I still think I would love this story. The bond between Margarita and sister, and even among their whole family is so heartwarming.

My favorite thing, though, was the format. This was my first time listening to a story like there, with music interspersed throughout the audio narration, and it was solid gold. The songs tied in so well with what was happening in the story, and it felt like such a nice little treat every time one came up. It's so fun, and I highly recommend that anyone give it a shot.

Friday, October 4, 2019

Audiobook review: The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young

Book Summary
The new gut-wrenching epic from the New York Times bestselling author of Sky in the Deep.

For as long as she can remember, Tova has lived among the Svell, the people who found her washed ashore as a child and use her for her gift as a Truthtongue. Her own home and clan are long-faded memories, but the sacred symbols and staves inked over every inch of her skin mark her as one who can cast the rune stones and see into the future. She has found a fragile place among those who fear her, but when two clans to the east bury their age-old blood feud and join together as one, her world is dangerously close to collapse.

For the first time in generations, the leaders of the Svell are divided. Should they maintain peace or go to war with the allied clans to protect their newfound power? And when their chieftain looks to Tova to cast the stones, she sets into motion a series of events that will not only change the landscape of the mainland forever but will give her something she believed she could never have again—a home.

Flo's Review
What a pleasant surprise this book was! I've been wanting to read Sky in the Deep ever since I heard about it, but it never quite made it all the way up the TBR pile. Then a good friend gifted me with the beautiful hardcover copy of this one, and I decided to give it a read before YALLFEST. I listened to the audiobook and it flew by! It was only about 8 or 9 hours, which is my sweet spot for audiobooks. (After that, I really have to like the story because they start to seem too long to me at that point.) I felt like I started and finished this within a few days. But the pacing also contributed. The story started off with a mystery, with a question, and just went full in from there on out.

I am happy to report that even though this is a companion novel to Sky in the Deep, you don't have to read that one first to fully understand this one at all. I never did get to read Sky -- though I definitely will now! -- and the only reason I figured out that the two books were related is because I went poking around for information about this book on Goodreads. I wanted to emphasize that point because I think it's fantastic. I have been caught before by "It's a companion, but you don't have to to have read the original series" and then I've tried the book and been completely lost. Not the case here. This stood alone perfectly and made me excited to go back and read the other one.

Tova was a great character. There was just something about her that drew me in as a reader. She blames herself for a lot of the deaths in the book, and even as I was thinking she was right, it didn't make me dislike her at all. And naturally Tolvard (excuse me if I'm spelling any one's names wrong) was bae. I'd even consider living on the fjord for him. But then I wouldn't because let's be real -- that just sounds cold!

Likeable characters that you're rooting for, nonstop action, fantastic pacing, the joy of being a standalone -- all of these qualities endeared me to this book. It's definitely one I would recommend.

Thursday, January 17, 2019

Audiobook review: Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus

Book Summary
Echo Ridge is small-town America. Ellery's never been there, but she's heard all about it. Her aunt went missing there at age seventeen. And only five years ago, a homecoming queen put the town on the map when she was killed. Now Ellery has to move there to live with a grandmother she barely knows.

The town is picture-perfect, but it's hiding secrets. And before school even begins for Ellery, someone's declared open season on homecoming, promising to make it as dangerous as it was five years ago. Then, almost as if to prove it, another girl goes missing.

Ellery knows all about secrets. Her mother has them; her grandmother does too. And the longer she's in Echo Ridge, the clearer it becomes that everyone there is hiding something. The thing is, secrets are dangerous--and most people aren't good at keeping them. Which is why in Echo Ridge, it's safest to keep your secrets to yourself.

Flo's Summary
What a fun story! I mean, I don't often put "fun" and "mystery" together, but something about these characters drew me in, and it was fun to try and figure it out...which I kind of did! I'm so excited, because I never figure out anything! 10 points to Hufflepuff!

But back to the characters. Karen M. McManus described them in a way that gave me such great visuals in my mind. I could see Ellery's curls, Malcolm's muscles, Ezra's general hotness. (Yes, I know he wouldn't be interested in me like that, but that's okay -- he would be such a good and awesome friend.)

This book takes place in the Fall in the Northeast and it made me want to be there! (I mean, not in Echo Ridge -- too much going on in that town! I just mean somewhere where Fall weather is a thing, which it's not where I am.) But yes, the setting of Echo Ridge sounded beautiful. When Ellery and Ezra weren't stressing me out by walking through the woods, that is!

Two Can Keep a Secret had layers of stories, and that's probably what I liked about it most. Nothing-- like legitimately almost nothing -- was what is seemed, and there were a lot of different things going on beneath the surface. And they were all connected, but they weren't, but they were. Genius!

I also enjoyed One of Us is Lying and am pretty sure Karen M. McManus has a spot on my auto-read list. I listened to this one on audiobook and it just flew by! I truly enjoying listening to it while driving to and from work, and talking to myself in the car whenever a reveal or a bomb was dropped.

I definitely recommend you give this one a try!

Read our review of One of Us Is Lying: http://www.booknerdsacrossamerica.com/2018/01/book-review-one-of-us-is-lying-by-karen.html.

Saturday, December 15, 2018

Book review: Love à la Mode by Stephanie Kate Strohm

Book Summary
Take two American teen chefs, add one heaping cup of Paris, toss in a pinch of romance, and stir. . . .

Rosie Radeke firmly believes that happiness can be found at the bottom of a mixing bowl. But she never expected that she, a random nobody from East Liberty, Ohio, would be accepted to celebrity chef Denis Laurent's school in Paris, the most prestigious cooking program for teens in the entire world. Life in Paris, however, isn't all cream puffs and crepes. Faced with a challenging curriculum and a nightmare professor, Rosie begins to doubt her dishes.

Henry Yi grew up in his dad's restaurant in Chicago, and his lifelong love affair with food landed him a coveted spot in Chef Laurent's school. He quickly connects with Rosie, but academic pressure from home and his jealousy over Rosie's growing friendship with gorgeous bad-boy baker Bodie Tal makes Henry lash out and push his dream girl away.

Desperate to prove themselves, Rosie and Henry cook like never before while sparks fly between them. But as they reach their breaking points, they wonder whether they have what it takes to become real chefs.

Perfect for lovers of Chopped Teen Tournament and Kids Baking Championship, as well as anyone who dreams of a romantic trip to France, Love la Mode follows Rosie and Henry as they fall in love with food, with Paris, and ultimately, with each other.

Flo's Review
Adorable. This book, you guys. Adorable.

I first heard about it because I attended the Foodie Funactics event at YALLFEST this year and Stephanie was the one who put it together and moderated it. As soon as she described this book, my two friends and I were like, "Ooohhh....!" I knew it was going to be a must-read.

I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook, and the best thing about it is that the author reads it! She does such a great job, too. Everybody sounds really distinct. This was no easy feat, either, because the students are from all around the world. Stephanie does a great job with the accents, I must say.

You can tell this story was written by a foodie, because the food is described just as lovingly, if not more so, than the romance. I really enjoyed it. Not knowing a lot about how to cook or bake myself, it was fun to see these characters' relationships to food and how they were in the kitchen. Stephanie did a great job with characters. By the end of the book I felt I really knew everyone in Rosie and Henry's friend group well. They were all fully fleshed out individuals, not side characters with minimal characteristics there to comment on the main story line. My favorite, and I already told Stephanie, was Henry's rooomate Hampus. Hampus is everything, you guys. From his morning workouts, to him foraging for food, to Swedish TV show marathon all-nighters with Henry -- Hampus is everything.

Rosie and Henry were both awkward and realistic teens, and I was rooting for them the whole time. The only qualm I had with this book was the lack of Paris. It was sold as this fantastic love story in the city of love...and I felt like I rarely saw Paris. Like, this story could have taken place in Liberty, Ohio, without much alteration. That's a shame. Paris has so much potential for first love scenes.

But that's it! Other than that, I simply adored this one. Also, I randomly baked a cake about a week or so ago, while I was listening to this audiobook. Coincidence? I didn't do it intentionally, but all the food in this book is so amazing, and maybe I was inspired?

So, go read this book. In the meantime, I will contact the author again and try to convince her to write a sequel revolving around Hampus.

This is my Review of the Month for the review collection on LovelyAudiobooks.info.

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Audiobook review -- Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies about Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be by Rachel Hollis

Book Summary
Founder of the lifestyle website TheChicSite.com and CEO of her own media company, Chic Media, Rachel Hollis has created an online fan base of hundreds of thousands of fans by sharing tips for living a better life while fearlessly revealing the messiness of her own. Now comes her highly anticipated first book featuring her signature combination of honesty, humor, and direct, no-nonsense advice.

Each chapter of Girl, Wash Your Face begins with a specific lie Hollis once believed that left her feeling overwhelmed, unworthy, or ready to give up. As a working mother, a former foster parent, and a woman who has dealt with insecurities about her body and relationships, she speaks with the insight and kindness of a BFF, helping women unpack the limiting mind-sets that destroy their self-confidence and keep them from moving forward.

From her temporary obsession with marrying Matt Damon to a daydream involving hypnotic iguanas to her son’s request that she buy a necklace to “be like the other moms,” Hollis holds nothing back. With unflinching faith and tenacity, Hollis spurs other women to live with passion and hustle and to awaken their slumbering goals.

Flo's Review
I first heard about this book from CatFairy Books, who talked about it in a blog post. I thought, "Hmm, interesting title," but then not too much past that. Then a few weeks later as I was scrolling through my Goodreads account, I found it on the "Want to Read" shelves of several of my friends. I decided to look and see if my library had the e-audiobook available, because as you may or may not know, one of my favorite things are audiobook memoirs read by the authors. I found it! And that's how this review begins.

Girl! I devoured this book. First of all, I'm so glad Rachel was the one reading it. Because when she really wants to emphasize something, when she really wants you to do something, her tone gets SO SERIOUS, and I think I would have missed that by just reading it. On the flip side, this book had so many good, practical suggestions that I wanted to be able to flag them and write them down as I heard them -- but I couldn't because I was driving. Then by the time I got to my destination, I'd forgotten them. Such is price you pay for audio.

One thing I really enjoyed about the book was the relationship between faith and girl power. Rachel recognizes and worships God, but at the same time believes that you are in control of your own life. It's a balance -- one that I subscribe to, and one that I appreciate. Some of the thoughts and tips she gave did stay with me, so much that I jotted them down the first chance I found myself with a pen and paper on hand. This is one of those books that I want to pass on. I am legit thinking about giving it to my sister for Christmas. I think she will relate to it and enjoy it. (No worries, my sister doesn't read my blog so the surprise will stay safe! Lol)

Rachel's voice is real and honest. Brutally honest. She admits that some of it is "tough love" and it is. But she is also so vulnerable in it, and several chapters where she related some of her hardest experiences made me cry. I will definitely be taking some of her advice on writing, dreaming, and bringing it every single day.

I definitely recommend this book/audiobook to any woman who wants to be inspired and feel validated. Rachel's message is one of solitary, hard work, and the power to live your dreams.

Tuesday, May 8, 2018

Audiobook review: Foreskin's Lament by Shalom Auslander

Book Summary
Shalom Auslander was raised with a terrified respect for God. Even as he grew up and was estranged from his community, his religion and its traditions, he could not find his way to a life where he didn't struggle against God daily.

Foreskin's Lament reveals Auslander's youth in a strict, socially isolated Orthodox community, and recounts his rebellion and efforts to make a new life apart from it. Auslander remembers his youthful attempt to win the "blessing bee" (the Orthodox version of a spelling bee), his exile to an Orthodox-style reform school in Israel after he's caught shoplifting Union Bay jeans from the mall, and his fourteen mile hike to watch the New York Rangers play in Madison Square Garden without violating the Sabbath. Throughout, Auslander struggles to understand God and His complicated, often contradictory laws. He tries to negotiate with God and His representatives-a day of sin-free living for a day of indulgence, a blessing for each profanity. But ultimately, Shalom settles for a peaceful cease-fire, a standoff with God, and accepts the very slim remaining hope that his newborn son might live free of guilt, doubt, and struggle.

Auslander's combination of unrelenting humor and anger--one that draws comparisons to memoirists David Sedaris and Dave Eggers--renders a rich and fascinating portrait of a man grappling with his faith, family, and community.

Flo's Review
My good friend Jose and I did that thing where we read one of each other's favorite books. I'm having him read Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. He gave me Foreskin's Lament.

Have you ever tried to bargain with God? I absolutely have. Like, "Hey, God, please let me get X, and I promise I'll do Y." Well, this is Shalom Auslander. Shalom was raised in a strict Orthodox Jewish household and has been bargaining with God all his life. It's interesting to hear Shalom's view on God, because it is relatable. He lets the reader inside his head as he is rationalizing his actions and you can see where he's coming from. As I was listening to this audiobook I found myself thinking at several points, "Oh my gosh, that's horrible!" ....but then also...

I love autobiographies and my favorite audiobooks are ones where the author is reading them, so I hit the jackpot here on both these accounts. Shalom's voice is perfect for his humor, which is wry and can be subtle. Shalom is also an excellent writer. He is a circular writer -- he reuses the same phrases in different parts of the same chapters and it works really well. It was fun to listen to.

An interesting note about this audiobook is that it's the only one I've listened to where the pictures are described for the reader. I think because this is an older one, from 2007. But you hear at the end that it's actually his wife Orli who reads the picture descriptions. And then at the very end his son has a little cameo and it's absolutely adorable.

Foreskin's Lament is the kind of book that will make you laugh while shaking your head, will make you feel sad while also feeling mad. It takes a generally accepted idea -- God is good -- and says, "Well..." If you are easily offended, this might not be the book for you. But if you grew up as a part of any religion, you will find something to relate to here.

Friday, April 20, 2018

Audiobook review -- This Is Me: Loving the Person You Are Today by Chrissy Metz

Book Summary

A prescriptive and inspirational book of life lessons from the breakout star of television's #1 hit show, NBC's This Is Us. Debuting in fall 2016, This Is Us quickly became America's most watched-and most talked about-network television show. Within weeks of its premier, actress Chrissy Metz and her character, Kate, were embraced by countless fans. Seemingly overnight, Chrissy found herself on magazine covers and talk shows, walking red carpets, and the subject of endless conversations on social media.

Chrissy chalks up her popularity to the authenticity of the role. She believes that fans sense she is playing a character whose life is not so very different from her own. It is a performance that comes from her heart and gut, from a universal place that rings true. In reality, Chrissy's presence, her perseverance in Hollywood, and her success story is as genuine-and as inspirational-as it gets. There is no better person to represent and speak out for the everywoman and her experiences.Embracing the spirit of Shonda Rhime's Year of Yes, Chrissy's touching, wise, and honest book speaks to all of us. Blending love and experience, Chrissy encourages us to to claim our rightful place in a world that may be trying to knock us down from all sides. Throughout, her positivity, confidence, and humor are infectious, whether she's talking about her past or present, and she offers amazing one-liners such as: Who needs to fit in when you're meant to stand out?

You need to both know better and do better!

The key is to act deserving, but not entitled.Not your standard celebrity memoir or essay collection, Why Fit In When You're Meant to Stand Out is a smart and helpful guide for living through tough stuff and coming out the other side, written by a woman who has done just that. Grounded and spiritual, Chrissy teaches each one of us how to find our own unique voice-and pursue our dreams.

Flo's Review

I am all here for This Is Us. I absolutely watch it religiously every week (when I can), getting comfy on the couch with my Kleenex and a glass of wine red. And I pretty much cry every time. So when I discovered that Chrissy Metz had written an autobiography, I immediately wanted to read it. And then when I found the audiobook available from the library?! I jumped on it! Not to mention -- read by the author. Audiobooks read the authors are pretty much one of my top five favorite things in this world.

I knew that Chrissy had 81 cents in her bank account when she landed the role of Kate, but I knew nothing about her back story. And what a doozy it was! I hate to use the cliche "Rags to Riches" line, because she busted her butt to get where she is today. Hers is a story of perseverance and hope, and I am so glad she shared it.

It's hard sometimes for people writing autobiographies to not get preachy -- everyone does it, because I think it's our instinct to try to make sense of our lives. And so many of us want to share what we've learned in our journey. So this did that a little bit, but nothing too much more than usual. A lot of things Chrissy said really spoke to me, especially about romantic partners and doing what you love. She talked a lot about showing up for yourself, which is a really great concept. She asked, why would anyone else take a chance on you if you're not willing to take a chance on yourself? I also loved two quotes of her so much that I recorded them as voice memos on my phone so I could jot them down when I got home.

"Make a little change and the universe will shift to conspire with you." -- This one may not be exact, because I was already forgetting it as a I fumbled for my voice recorder, but it's close. I love this idea that the universe is Team You. If you put a little bit out there, the Universe will follow suit for you. It's like a company matching your contribution into your 401K.

"How do you neglect something so firmly placed on your heart?" -- Yes. This. So much this. I recently, after much time and debate, switched careers. Because what I'm doing now is that thing that was me. It was firmly placed on my heart. I had to make sacrifices to remain true to it, and I did.

It's always great when actors do their own audiobooks because it's like they're acting as they read. I don't think I would have had the same fun experience with this one if I had been reading it and not listening to Chrissy tell it to me.

If you love This Is Us like I do, pick up this audiobook! And even if you don't, and you just enjoy a good story about a good person working hard to achieve her dreams, then you will enjoy this, too.

Audiobook review -- Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls, and Everything in Between by Lauren Graham

Book Summary
In this collection of personal essays, the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and Parenthood reveals stories about life, love, and working as a woman in Hollywood—along with behind-the-scenes dispatches from the set of the new Gilmore Girls, where she plays the fast-talking Lorelai Gilmore once again.

In Talking as Fast as I Can, Lauren Graham hits pause for a moment and looks back on her life, sharing laugh-out-loud stories about growing up, starting out as an actress, and, years later, sitting in her trailer on the Parenthood set and asking herself, “Did you, um, make it?” She opens up about the challenges of being single in Hollywood (“Strangers were worried about me; that’s how long I was single!”), the time she was asked to audition her butt for a role, and her experience being a judge on Project Runway (“It’s like I had a fashion-induced blackout”).

In “What It Was Like, Part One,” Graham sits down for an epic Gilmore Girls marathon and reflects on being cast as the fast-talking Lorelai Gilmore. The essay “What It Was Like, Part Two” reveals how it felt to pick up the role again nine years later, and what doing so has meant to her.

Some more things you will learn about Lauren: She once tried to go vegan just to bond with Ellen DeGeneres, she’s aware that meeting guys at awards shows has its pitfalls (“If you’re meeting someone for the first time after three hours of hair, makeup, and styling, you’ve already set the bar too high”), and she’s a card-carrying REI shopper (“My bungee cords now earn points!”).

Including photos and excerpts from the diary Graham kept during the filming of the recent Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, this book is like a cozy night in, catching up with your best friend, laughing and swapping stories, and—of course—talking as fast as you can.

Flo's Review
So after listening to the audiobook for In Conclusion, Don't Worry About It, I found that I wanted to listen to Lauren's autobiography. Luckily, the audio was available to download from the library right away. And coming in at just over 4 hours, I was able to fly through it in a matter of days.

Lauren is funny, y'all! She read the audiobook and I love that she did because her acting skills came out as she did it. It was fun to listen to her describe her thoughts on things. I never knew that the medical part of TV show scripts are filled in later by medical professionals and the filler in the script is written as "medical, medical." She said that became a thing between her and her sister, and I could see it becoming a thing I pick up, too. Old Lady Jackson had some good observations without being preachy. Nicely played, Lauren! And I loved hearing about her editor Jennifer E. Smith, because I love Jennifer as an author, and apparently she is a great editor, too.

This book makes me want to go back and binge the entire Gilmore series. I won't, but I wish I had the time to do so. The only thing I missed with the audiobook were the fun-sounding pictures! I may have to try to pick up a physical copy of this so I can see them.

For now, I am off to Google "The Royal We, Mae Whitman" and "Gilmore Girls Last 4 Words."

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Audiobook review: Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Book Summary
Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.

The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.

Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy’s most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.

When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station’s wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.

But relax. They’ve totally got this. They hope.

Flo's Review

Obsidio, the final book in the Illuminae trilogy, comes out next week, so I wanted to get Gemina under my belt so I'd be ready. I listed to Illuminae and really enjoyed it, so I was excited to learn that my library had Gemina on CD.

If you are not familiar with this trilogy, the book is composed of documents and other forms of correspondence. It's a visual experience, so it is interesting to hear it translate to audiobook. Somehow, it is always fantastic! I really enjoyed listening to Gemina! The voice of Hanna sounded exactly as I thought she would, and I always love listening to Steve West (even despite the character he voiced!) And the Analyst, too -- I love hearing his voice! But if I'm being honest, my favorite part of the audiobook was being able to hear "I Wanna Lick Your Lollipop" sporadically throughout the story! (I kid, I kid...kind of.)

Even though the story felt a little long, a common and unfortunate side of listening to more than 650 pages being read to you, it never lagged. Several twists kept surprising me throughout the story. I loved to hate Cerberus. Who knew the word "Bless" could ever annoy me so much?! And, WOW, on the plot twist at the end! So creative and fun. I loved it.

I am very happy that I will soon have Obsidio, so I can how this whole crazy saga shakes down. If you haven't read or listened to any of the Illuminae books, you are coming in at a good time -- you can marathon them. If you have read them, which did you prefer: Illuminae? Or Gemina?

Monday, January 15, 2018

Audiobook review: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

Book Summary
It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger.

"Wild nights are my glory," the unearthly stranger told them. "I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course. Let me be on my way. Speaking of way, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract".

Meg's father had been experimenting with this fifth dimension of time travel when he mysteriously disappeared. Now the time has come for Meg, her friend Calvin, and Charles Wallace to rescue him. But can they outwit the forces of evil they will encounter on their heart-stopping journey through space?

Flo's Review
I'd read this book as a child, but I all I remembered about it was that I loved it. Since the movie is coming out in a few months, I wanted to remember the story, so I did a re-read. Or a listen, if you will. I was excited to see that the audiobook is narrated by the author herself, so I that's the route I chose.

Let's start with the unfortunately...if you have read any of my reviews before, you know that my, reading pet peeve (I guess you could call it) is when I don't like the main characters. And, guys? I just couldn't with Meg. It was okay that she was stubborn and impatient....but she was also so whiny and she wanted everybody to do things for her, fix things for her. Now, this is part of her character growth by the end of the story and also she has a good excuse for her behavior toward the end....but that didn't make it any easier. And reading someone whining as opposed to hearing it is probably a little better. Unfortunately, in this instance, Mrs. L'Engle did such a great job as a whiny Meg that it made a lot of the audiobook kind of a "suffer through" experience. But enough of the 'dark planet' type talk (tee hee hee)!

I am glad I did a re-read because I am pretty sure that I did not pick up on all the religious elements in the book as a child. I won't describe them here in case they could be considered spoilers, but I am interested to see how they will be handled in a secular movie.

Speaking of the movie -- the re-read accomplished what I hoped it would. I am now even more excited for the movie! I can't wait to see Mrs. Who, Mrs. Which, and Mrs. Whatsit. I can't wait to see how they portray all the different worlds. I can't wait to see if they did a Maze Runner type thing where the main character in the book is annoying, but in the movie is perfectly fine. March 9th can't some soon enough!

How about you? Did you read this book as a child? Are you excited for the movie?

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