Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Audiobooks I Am Dying to Listen To

Okay, so this is not the topic for the week... But, I wasn't really feeling the current one and decided to make my own post this week. If you want to see the real topic, head over to The Broke and the Bookish.

I have made a, likely to change, list of books I would like to listen to next... They are:

Being Jazz: My Life a (Transgender) Teen ~ I am pretty sure this is a television show, but since we do not have cable I am only familiar with the book. I am really curious about how she sees the world and make her way in it.

The Guineveres ~ This is one of those books making the rounds lately that has caught my eye. It is compared to The Virgin Suicides and I love that book!

The Motion of Puppets ~ I really enjoyed The Stolen Child, but have yet to read on with Donohue. This book has been catching my eye for months and I love the cover. It is time for me to read Donohue again!

Feedback ~ I listened to the first three books, so makes sense to listen to the 4th!

The Mothers ~ Another one that has been catching my eye that I am thinking about doing on audio. It sounds good!

Ghostland ~ This sounds really good for this time of the year!

All the Birds in the Sky ~ I have been curious about this book all year! I also saw the author on a documentary and was interested by them, too!

Stiletto ~ I enjoyed the first book in this series on audio and am curious to see what happens next!

Jane Steele ~ I have been planning to read this all year and hear that the audio was good... Now to actually get to it!

Fellside ~ I really enjoyed The Girl with all the Gifts on audio so was planning to listen to this one, too, but then the e-book was on sale over the weekend so might just read it!

Ten Eleven Audiobooks I Have Enjoyed in 2016

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted at The Broke and the Bookish

I did so well making my list. Then just as I was finishing up, I noticed The Miniaturist was missing and I couldn't decide what to remove to take its place. So, 11 it is. Let's not count how close this is to how many audios I have listened to total for 2016. Let's just applaud I listened to enough that I can make a list of my top ten eleven.

1. | Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan ~ I have been meaning to try Sullivan forever and finally started off with his new series. It was a really good fantasy novel that weaves mythology and a bit of the quest narrative and other elements together to make for a very readable adventure. I can't wait for the sequel!

Thoughts on the Audio: Narrated by Tim Gerard Richards - The audio was very well done. I love Richards voice and am thinking of back-tracking through Sullivan's other books via audio because he narrates them as well. Definitely does a good job with the different characters and getting you caught up in the story.

2. | Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor ~ This is one I had grabbed on sale at some point and I just loved it! The young adult trilogies that are popular can be hit or miss for me, but I have also read book 2 and continue to think this trilogy is awesome. It really takes a play at the story of angels and demons and is done really well. One of my favourite reads of the year!

Thoughts on the Audio: Narrated by Khristine Hvam - I loved the narration on this one so much. I listened to it before I had reactivated my Audible membership, so I bought the two sequels in paperback. While I enjoyed the second one, I was disappointed that I didn't go the audio route. I think I may splurge and read book 3 on audio before the end of the year to finish up the trilogy. Khristine Hvam just does such a great job with this one!

3. | Feed by Mira Grant ~ Finally! I have wanted to read this trilogy forever and just never got around to it. It was a really great, nerdy zombie tale that I enjoyed a lot. I am glad I finally got around to reading it! The sequels were great, too. Grant does an awesome job making you care about all of the characters and what happens to them.

Thoughts on the Audio: Narrated by Paula Christensen and Jesse Bernstein - The two narrators of this book did a great job. Christensen did the majority of the narration and I really got into her as Georgia. She did well narrating the other characters that had smaller roles as well. Bernstein did Shaun, who had a smaller role in this one than he does in the sequels. The sequels were also really good, but I think this was my favourite.

4. | Locke & Key by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez ~ I loved the graphic novels, so I definitely had to check out this audio adaption. I only just read it recently because I figured it was a great idea for this time of year. The series is about a family who has unfortunate circumstances that lead them back to their father's family home. It is dark and twisted and definitely a page turner.

Thoughts on the Audio: This is a full cast performance that includes Haley Joel Osment, Kate Mulgrew, Tatiana Maslany, and a bunch of other people. It was really well done and everyone did a great job. I have done other full cast audios, but this was my first dramatic one and considering I knew what to expect from the story, I thought they did an awesome job!

5. | Nevernight by Jay Kristoff ~ Yep, I loved this series with a strong female lead and fantasy and great secondary characters and dark magic and assassins and and... When is book 2 out? I all ready have the paper back in my list of preorders for next year because I want to have it in a form other than audio. Judging by hardcover prices, I likely will do book 2 by audio as well. It was just so good!

Thoughts on the Audio: Narrated by Holter Graham - I was leery about doing this one on audio because it can be hard to keep track of fantasy story-lines when you are listening instead of reading. I still find something taking my attention away from audios and missing parts here and there. (One of those things is talking to me as I am attempting to write this post...) But, Graham did a great job narrating and I found myself getting into the story no issue. I hope they

6. | Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel ~ This book got a lot of buzz when it first came out so I grabbed a copy on audio because you know me and science-fiction and fantasy. I have to be honest. I am not sure if the story itself would have wowed me so much if I had read it. It was good and I am curious to see what happens next. Plus, I enjoy books written in letters, blog posts, etc. So, it should be a 'me' book all things considered. I plan to reread it before the sequel comes out and we will see what happens.

Thoughts on the Audio: Narrated by Full Cast - And, see, it was the audio that I loved. I thought it was so well done and you could really get into the events with it. I think that it is definitely my favourite audio performance of the year so far. It just captured the story so well, and probably worked so well because there were different people narrating each character and the novel is epistolary form so it worked really well. I definitely plan to do the sequel on audio!

7. | To the Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey ~ I owned The Snow Child in hardcover forever and only got around to it last year because I did the audio. I decided that since that worked so well, I would do this one in audio as well. Part of me regrets that because I loved this book to the point it will make my top ten for the year likely and because I missed out on the pictures. Part of me finished this and wanted to rush out a grab a physical copy, but I am making myself wait. (Maybe Christmas). It was a good historical fiction novel that included a young woman that was a photographer. Plus, there was adventure and a bit of the supernatural.

Thoughts on the Audio: Narrated by John Glouchevitch, Christine Lakin, and Kiff Vandenheuvel - When I said above that I almost regretted doing this audio, it was not because the audio wasn't good. (If it wasn't good, it wouldn't be on this list!) It was just that it is one of those books I regret not being able to see. But, the audio was really well done and I really enjoyed it!

8. | The Girl with all the Gifts by M.R. Carey ~ When I got this on audio I had no idea what this book was even about. There was buzz, it was good buzz, and I needed an audio. So, imagine my surprise when I started it and found it was about zombies. I had no idea! It was really good, though. Definitely worth all the buzz surrounding it!

Thoughts on the Audio: Narrated by Finty Williams - The narration on this one was great. It really fit the story and all the different characters. I definitely want to check Williams out again. Hopefully she is the narrator for Carey's new book that I have on my wish list, but haven't got a chance to get to yet. Hopefully this fall!

9. | The Cutting Season by Attica Locke ~ I have heard about Attica Locke a lot over the years, but just never got around to reading her. When I had a spare Audible credit, I decided it was finally time and most people seem to really enjoy this one. Locke is a great, suspenseful author that I really enjoyed! The mystery had historical backgrounds to it which I also really enjoy. I definitely plan to read more from Locke!

Thoughts on the Audio: Narrated by Quincy Tyler Bernstine - I really like the soft spoken narration of this one. It fit the characters really well, I thought. She could overcome it for the more exciting parts which seemed to make them that much more exciting! Definitely a narrator I want to check out again!

10. | The Rook by Daniel O'Malley ~ I have heard a lot of good things about this book, but I honestly had no idea what it was about when I grabbed a copy. The story of a supernatural society and a very structured society to keep them all in line. It is definitely a page turner and I am really excited to see what the sequel is all about!

Thoughts on the Audio: Narrated by Susan Duerden - Duerden does a great job telling this story. The novel includes letters which I think the narrator does a great job for. Plus, she handles all the different characters really well and makes you very invested in the story. Another great narrator I would like to listen to more from.

11. | The Minaturist by Jessie Burton ~ I wanted to read this book forever. I had the audio from a sale probably a couple years ago... I decided it was finally time to see what all the buzz was about. I really enjoy historical fiction, but I don't read nearly as much of it as I used to. I decided this would be the book to break me out of that. (Still haven't read that much historical fiction this year...) I really enjoyed the story and the sort of magical elements interwoven in a very bleak historical landscape. I am so glad I finally got around to this!

Thoughts on the Audio: Narrated by Davina Porter - I am really glad I went the audio route for this book because I really enjoyed Porter's narration. It is just to bad this audio laid around unread for so long before I got a chance to get to it! (I am trying to be better about that...) She really made the stories and characters come alive and I hope they get her back if they ever release an audio of Porter's new book!

June is Audiobook Month

I thought in honour of the last few days of Audiobook month, I would look back on the audios that I have read in 2016 so far...

Written by Mira Grant

Narrated by Paula Christensen & Jesse Bernstein

I had been wanting to read Mira Grant for a while, but never got to her. I had the e-book version of this book forever and I decided recently to go through my Amazon books and see what qualified to make the audio a reduced rate. This was one of them! I read Every Heart a Doorway under Seanan McGuire, and knew it was time to check out her other books. And, I am so happy I did! I thought I would be sick of zombies, but this manages to put a fresh spin on things and work really well. The narration was also really well done!

Written by Daniel Keyes

Narrated by Jeff Woodman

One of my favourite things to do with audiobooks is wait until favourite books show up in sales, and grab a copy. Flowers for Algernon has been one of my favourite books since junior high, but I had never listened to it on audio. Until now. It was a very simplistic audio. There was no music. It was just Jeff Wooman being made to dictate Charley's life as if he was really doing it. With other audios, that likely wouldn't have worked, but it worked with how this story was written and I enjoyed it. If you haven't read Flowers for Algernon, it speaks to what it is to be human and does it in a really wonderful way. This book is a bit older, but it doesn't seem dated. And, I think that kind of what makes it all that much sadder... 

Written by Linda Rodriguez McRobbie

Narrated by Cassandra Campbell

This was all kinds of insane. It is amazing the things that have been done by women in history. Would it have been as crazy if men had done the same things? Well, no, men have! But, men play a much larger role in the overall writings in history, so we have just learned to expect it. While the audio of this was really well-done, it delivered a lot of info and I think it might have worked better for me if I read it. I haven't listened to a lot of non-fiction via audio yet, so I am still learning how to retain it when it is all kind of being thrown at you. I expect to grab a physical copy down the road for a reread.

Written by Sylvain Neuvel

Narrated by full cast

I reactivated my audible membership for this book. I really wanted to read it and had heard good things about the audio. It was so worth it! I can't wait to read the sequel next year... I think I will do that on audio, too, but I also would like to get physical copies of the series to reread in another method. Maybe when the paperback is released! This was a really well-done science fiction novel. And, the audio recording was done so well. I think this was my first time doing a full cast performance and I don't think this book could have been done any other way... It really pulled you in and actually I think this book may be better on audio than just reading it, but I haven't read it to compare.

Written by Danielle Paige

Narrated by Devon Sorvari

I got this on audio during a sale, but then I read it on Scribd last year. I decided both to make use of this book that I bought and to refresh my memory for the sequels, I would reread it on audio. I think it was a bit too soon for a reread... I liked it, but it didn't blow me away because I think it was all too fresh. The narration was good, though, and the story is overall really good. And, I am sure I will appreciate the fresh perspective when I get out of this reading slump and finally read the sequels. 

Written by Leigh Bardugo

Narrated by Lauren Fortgang

Another book I had got on audio to eventually reread so I can finally read the rest of the books. I originally read this book in like 2012 or something, so this book was not fresh in my mind and it was nice to revisit. Now, if I could get out of this reading slump so it was not in vain! Anyway, I read Bardugo's new book last year and still had not read the sequels to this one. I figured that before book 2 comes out in her other series later this year, I should catch up... The narration was really well done on this one. And now that I remember what happened, I am looking forward to what happens next!

Written by Laini Taylor

Narrated by Khristine Hvam

Finally read this series! I have heard lots of good things about it over the years and was really excited to finally get it. This reading through my backlist of audiobooks has worked out really well! I loved the narration on this one and would have loved to read the rest by audio, but at the time my Audible membership was still on hiatus and I didn't anticipate reactivating it right away. So, I read book 2 and then was just not reading when I tried to read book 3... Hopefully I can get back to it soon! I frankly have not read many angel books overall, so I was happy for this very fun take on it. I have read Taylor in the past and this just reminded me that she is someone you shouldn't neglect!

Written by Max Barry

Narrated by Heather Corrigan & Zach Appelman

Sometimes when a book is getting a lot of buzz I will use an Audible credit on it if I have one instead of buying a physical copy. I remember doing that with this book... And then taking forever to actually read it! But it was really good. The narration worked really well and got to love a book about words and their power. It was a refreshingly different thing than what I have read over the last couple years. It reminded me a bit of Jasper Fforde's series, but only because it is about books and words. The overall ideas are very different. I definitely recommend this one!

Written by Jessie Burton

Narrated by Davina Porter

I have wanted to check this out since it came out and had the audio, so decided this year would finally be the year. I just don't read as many historical fiction books as I used to. It used to be one of my main genres. I really enjoyed this one, though. It is a time period and setting I have not read many books set during. And, while not really being fantasy, it still has a fantastic element to it. This made it right up my alley! Plus, the cover is wonderful and I kind of want to own a physical copy just because it would look pretty on my shelf!

Written by M.R. Carey

Narrated by Finty Williams

This was another book that got a lot of buzz and I grabbed a copy of. I have to admit that I don't like spoilers, so I don't always know what I am getting myself into when I read a book. Add in the fact the buzz for this was a while ago and I had no idea it was a Zombie novel when I started it. But, it was really good and so worthy of the buzz! I was still just getting back into audio listening when I grabbed this one, so I was very happy that it kept me engaged and kept my audio listening interest. I am really looking forward to the new book and will likely do that on audio as well.

Written by Ernest Cline

Narrated by Wil Wheaton

I needed to start getting back on the treadmill to help with my ankle recovery, but I was rusty on both the treadmill and the audiobook. (When I first tried the treadmill I could only handle the lowest setting... My treadmill sounded terrible so I stopped using it until I could handle a bit faster!) When you are nervous about something, go with an old favourite. I started my audiobook listening with Wil Wheaton and Ernest Cline, so I decided to start it up with them again. While not quite as good as Ready Player One, this was still worth checking out! And, I think that listening to Wil Wheaton narrate it made me enjoy it even more than if I had just read it. I look forward to more from both of them in the future!

Audiobook Review: The Black Flower by Howard Bahr

The Black Flower by Howard Bahr

Completed: January 30, 2014
Length: 10 Hours, 23 Minutes
Narrated by: Brian Emerson

Synopsis from Audible:

At 26, Bushrod Carter is already an old soldier, a veteran of all his regiment's campaigns since Shiloh. Now, on an Indian summer afternoon in 1864, Bushrod finds himself in the line of battle once again, on a plain below the obscure village of Franklin, Tennessee. The dark flower of his destiny is opening in the twilight, just as it has on other fields, and Bushrod must pass once again under its shadow if he is to see tomorrow.

In the madness and violence of a great battle and its aftermath, Bushrod Carter tries to act his part as well as he can. He must confront his soul and learn from his comrades and from a young girl struggling with her own harsh past.

This timeless portrait of a young man's suffering in war has already won praise for its originality and power. The Black Flower is a story not only of war, but of men and women seeking redemption, who are stripped of all that anchors them, and who at last turn to honor and courage and love.

Fiction or Non-Fiction? Genre?: Historical Fiction set during the American Civil War.

What Lead you to Pick Up This Book?: This book was a selection for the Literature & War Read-along hosted by Caroline at Beauty is a Sleeping Cat. Apparently American Civil War books are not popular in Canada. This book was out-of-print and my library didn't have it. I, very randomly, could only find it as an audiobook on Audible.

Summarize the Plot: This novel takes place during the American Civil War. The novel primarily centres around 26-year-old Bushrod Carter and his friends, but the book also jumps around to other characters. There is even a section told from the point-of-view of a wasp. The book gives you a glimpse in the strain that is put on these young men who are veterans at such a young age. There is one part of the book where a doctor says they push so hard, hardly sleep, and get little nourishment, so anything that happens to them they are unlikely to recover from because of the strain all ready put on them. Bahr even manages to put a girl in the midst of everything without making it a romance.

What Did You Like Most About the Book?: Honestly, there were moments where I didn't want to stop the audiobook. When there was action, it was high action. And I was really impressed about his decision to write from the view-point of a wasp and me actually like that scene. I don't really know a lot about the American Civil War, this may be the first book I have ever read about it, but I felt it was a good look at the people. All wars are hard on the people. How many people just think American Civil War or WWI and don't think a 26 year-old man went through hell. He was not perfect. He did things that in other contexts would be horrible, but we see the world from his eyes and understand that he has been through a lot. I am not sure I am articulating what I am trying to say very well! Basically, this book is about the people who make up the war instead of the huge entity that was the war itself.

What Did You Like Least?: There were sections that kind of dragged. I found that when things were good, they were very good, but when things started to wan they got a bit dull. I also didn't enjoy the jumping around at first. There were too many people and I was having a hard time keeping everything straight. I don't think I really got in the groove of that until later in the book and then I started to appreciate this writing style.

What Did You Think of the Writing Style?: I think I basically answered this all ready by saying that when it was good; it was really good, and when it was bad; it was really dull. It all works in the frame of the story, though. There has to be down moments and I think it makes you appreciate the story even more because of the unevenness.

What Did You Think of the Main Character?: I wasn't sure what to make of Bushrod. For starters, what a very unfortunate name. Initially I wondered if it was in fact his last name, but, nope, his first. Even though Bushrod is there from the beginning, I think it was almost halfway through the book, or maybe even more, before I really felt like he was the main character and I knew anything about him. And, I felt really bad for him. Near the end of the book he had just been through so much and was having a hard time keeping it together. This is where those 'little' moments and page-turning moments came together to show who this man really was and what he has gone through.

What Did You Think of the Ending?: I think the ending worked. I think the last half of the book was my favourite part of the overall story, anyway. That doesn't mean I necessarily liked the ending, but if I elaborate on why I will spoil it for others and that's not fair.

Frankly, if I wasn't participating in this read-along I don't think I ever would have had a reason to read this book. I had never even heard of it before! I am glad I gave it a chance, though. It was a good look at a war I knew very little about. Recommended!

Thoughts on the audio: This book was narrated by Brian Emerson. He did a pretty good job. I didn't really pay any attention to who was narrating it when I grabbed a copy of the book, but I was happy with the listen. He told the story well and wasn't boring. If I got distracted from it it was because the story slowed down and not anything against the narrator.

This book counts for the Audiobook Challenge and the Historical Fiction Challenge.

Audiobook Review: Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Completed: January 22, 2014
Length: 10 Hours, 2 Minutes
Narrated by: Shelly Frasier

Synopsis from Audible:

When Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert of Green Gables send for a boy orphan to help them out at their farm, they mistakenly get Anne Shirley, a feisty, independent but warm-hearted 11-year-old girl. Fortunately her sunny nature and quirky imagination win the hearts of her reluctant foster parents and everyone in the community. But not a day goes by without some memorable adventure or prank in the tragicomedy of her life. Early on she accidentally dyes her "cursed" red hair green. Later, in an effort to impress a neighbor, she bakes a cake, but with liniment instead of vanilla.

Lucy wrote that Anne is an extension of herself and represents the independent, "new" woman of the emerging 20th century. Individualistic, resourceful, and of a great humanitarian heart, she remains a great role model for girls and women today.

In 2014 I made it my goal to read all of Lucy Maud Montgomery's books. In some cases these are rereads, like with this book, but in other cases I am going to be reading them for the very first time. It's a great project for my TBR in that sense because I have had many of them sit on my shelves for years unread. A few years ago I purged all my classics because you can get them for free as e-books. I kept my Montgomery's, though. I remember when I was about 10 I collected the entire Anne series and read them all. It was university before I read Emily and I STILL haven't read that trilogy entirely.

Fiction or Non-Fiction? Genre?: Classic Canadian Fiction.

What Lead You to Pick up This Book: Well, the project all started because I saw a few bloggers rereading Montgomery last year and it made me want to revisit her. I am sort of reading in order of publication. The deviation from this is that she only wrote short stories between 1896 and 1908 when this book was published. I read short story collections slowly, so I will work them in as the year progresses. I chose to listen to Anne, instead of read it, because Shelly Frasier narrates, and I really liked her narration of Stiff by Mary Roach.

Summarize the Plot: It's pretty simple, really. Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert make plans to adopt a little boy to help Matthew out with the farm. Wires get crossed, though, and a little girl is sent instead. Matthew was too shy to tell her they didn't want a girl and takes her back to Green Gables. At first Marilla had planned to send her back, but Anne wins them both over. The rest of the book is Anne growing up and having unique adventures.

What Did you Like Most About this Book? I love Anne. I know that some people like Emily better, and if I actually finish her books this year my opinion could sway, but ultimately Anne represents my childhood. I read the books, remember buying each book with my own money, and watched the shows. Anne is such a strong, vibrant character that even now I felt like I was just revisiting old friends. (It helps that I have actually been to Prince Edward Island and saw a lot of what is mentioned in the book.) I am pretty sure this series of books, with Marilla, Matthew, Diana, Gilbert, etc, has stayed with me more than anything else I have ever read.

What Did you Like Least? I have read this book so many times over the years that I can't really say anything bad about it.

What Did You Think of the Writing Style? What I always do with Montgomery... She is big on simplistic settings, morals, and the idea of right and wrong. It is definitely a view of her up-bringing and place in the world. To be honest, Montgomery is not a writer I would generally like at all. I just discovered her when I was young, I guess, and can overlook the syrupy writing that I would be less likely to ignore with other authors.

What Did you Think of the Main Character? I love Anne! She is vibrant, imaginative, and captivating. She definitely comes to life in these books. She is one of my favourite literary characters.

What Did you Think of the Ending? There are no cliffhangers in Montgomery's book. At the end everything is tied up nicely and if there was never another book you wouldn't really feel you were missing anything.

Thoughts on the Audio: Well, this was a hard one to get into in the beginning. First, Stiff and Anne of Green Gables are so completely unrelated that it was a bit weird at first. And then there was the fact that I have seen the mini-series too many times and had different voices in my head for the characters. At first I even thought the audio was a bad idea, but once I got going I was fine. I plan to listen to Anne of Avonlea, too, because Shelly Frasier narrates that one as well.

Overall, I am glad I tried out audio for something different. I still love this book and am glad it is not one of those books that loses something when you are older.

Audiobook Review: Henrietta's War by Joyce Dennys

Henrietta's War: News from the Homefront 1939-1942 by Joyce Dennys

Completed: January 11, 2014
Length: 3 Hours, 47 Minutes (158 Pages)
Narrated by: Mandy Gasson

Synopsis from Audible:

Spirited Henrietta wishes she was the kind of doctor's wife who knew exactly how to deal with the daily upheavals of war. But then, everyone in her close-knit Devonshire village seems to find different ways to cope: There's the indomitable Lady B, who writes to Hitler every night to tell him precisely what she thinks of him; the terrifyingly efficient Mrs. Savernack, who relishes the opportunity to sit on umpteen committees and boss everyone around; flighty, flirtatious Faith who is utterly preoccupied with the latest hats and flashing her shapely legs; and then there's Charles, Henrietta's hard-working husband who manages to sleep through a bomb landing in their neighbour's garden.

With life turned upside down under the shadow of war, Henrietta chronicles the dramas, squabbles, and loyal friendships that unfold in her affectionate letters to her "dear childhood friend" Robert. Warm, witty, and perfectly observed, Henrietta's War brings to life a sparkling community of determined troopers who pull together to fight the good fight with patriotic fervour and good humour.

Henrietta's War is part of The Bloomsbury Group, a new library of books from the early 20th-century chosen by readers for readers.

What Lead You to Pick Up the Book?: I was curious. I have heard good things about this book for ages and planned to buy it at Christmastime, but there was a reason that I couldn't. So, I went the audiobook route instead. I still would like to own the paperbacks at some point.

Summarize the Plot: The novel is entirely told from Henrietta's point of view through letters that she writes to her friend Robert. Robert is serving in the war, and Henrietta is keeping up to date on life on the home front. Through her letters, we learn about her husband and the cast of colourful characters that make up her community. By the end of the book, you feel as if you have been visiting with old friends.

What Did you Like Most About the Book?: I think my favourite part of the book is how everything comes to life during Henrietta's letters. Henrietta herself is the focal point, but she describes others so well that you feel as if you know them. There is Lady B, for example, who writes a letter to Hitler every evening telling him what she thinks of him. Then there is Faith, who has the choir master wrapped around her little finger. The choir master himself comes to life by visiting Henrietta in her bedroom to lament about his fate in the world. 

What Did you Like Least?: I wanted more. The book is very short, and I wish it wasn't. There is a sequel, though, and I may feel better once I have read that. (I am just disappointed that it is a different narrator for the audio because now Henrietta won't sound right.)

What Did you Think of the Writing Style: Well, I love books told through letters. I know there are many people that don't feel it gives enough to have a book written that way, but I am a huge fan and some of my favourite books are written through letters, diaries, etc. (This is why I joined the Postal Reading Challenge this year). I think that Dennys does a very successful job of telling what life was like on the Home Front during World War II.

What Did you Think of the Main Character?: Henrietta was very human. When there was something to be scared of, she was scared. When there was action going on, she got in the midst of it when it was necessary and ran away when it wasn't. Dennys made her seem like a real person instead of attempting to create a larger than life or impractical British woman. There was one scene where she gives blood that was particularly well-done and believable.

What did you think of the ending?: The book only covers the first part of the war, so I tend to think of the sequel as the real ending. That being said it ended fine and with no compulsion to have to read the sequel, but I want to see how things play out for Henrietta, her family, Robert, and the members of her community during the rest of the war.

Strongly recommended!

Thoughts on the Audio: I liked Mandy Gasson. She did a very good job talking in the conversational tones of the letters that Henrietta was writing to Robert. I went to see what else she has narrated, but this is her only book. As I mentioned above, I am disappointed she doesn't narrate the sequel.

Audiobook Review: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell


Completed: January 7, 2014
Length: 12 Hours, 48 Mins (433 Pages)
Narrated By: Rebecca Lowman and Maxwell Caulfield

Synopsis from Audible:

In Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl, Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life - and she's really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow Series when they were just kids; it's what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can't let go. She doesn't want to.

Now that they're going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn't want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She's got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words...And she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories? Open her heart to someone? Or will she just go on living inside somebody else's fiction?

In 2013 I read Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. I started seeing it around the blogosphere, was having a hard time reading anything, and thought I would splurge and take a chance on it. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it and it made my Best of list for 2013. This meant I was going to have to try Rowell's other books. Fangirl sounded like a 'me' book, so I went with that one next.

I haven't used this reviewing method in years and thought I would dust it off:

Fiction or non-fiction? Genre?: Fiction. I don't know, I would say Young Adult, but I guess there is also something called New Adult now. Contemporary whichever one it is.

What Lead You to Pick Up This Book?: Well, like I said above I really liked Eleanor & Park, but also I started seeing this one around everyone and was hoping to make it my last read of 2013, but my audiobook before it was a chunkster and took longer than I planned.

Summarize the Plot: Well, the book mostly centres around Cath. She is in her first year of university and dealing with many changes. She is a twin and is used to always having her sister around, but her sister, Wren, decides she wants her freedom this year. This means she now has to deal with a room-mate, a new school, etc. all on her own. She is also obsessed with Simon Snow, which is the major fandom in Rowell's world. She writes a very popular fan fiction called "Carry On" re-imagining the relationships and storyline of the popular series. This book details what it is like to strike out on your own, but also has those connections that keep you grounded.

What Did You Like Most About The Book? I don't even know what it was that called to me with this book... The characters all come to life on the page. Cath loves fantasy novels and doesn't know how to 'think' in the real world. She is a writer that I would read. I liked the relationships presented in this book. It actually covers a lot: boyfriend/girlfriend, boyfriend/boyfriend, sisters, friends, mother/daughter, father/daughter... Honestly, a lot happens in this book. I could go on and on.

What Did You Like Least? There was nothing that really jumped out at me. I don't think the book was necessarily perfect, but it worked and I have no major complaint.

What Did You Think of The Writing Style? Rainbow Rowell is an awesome writer. She is engaging, witty, and her words definitely fly off the page. She can make what doesn't seem like it should be a page turner a page turner.

What Did You Think of the Main Character? I loved Cath. She was a flawed character, written really well, and I loved her for who she was. This was in many ways a bit of a coming of age novel and I enjoyed watching Cath grow through the novel.

What Did You Think of the Ending? I loved it. I think it summed up the novel very well. I was sad to see the story end, but I can't complain about how it ended.

Strongly recommended! (So much so that I bought the paperback just so I can reread it!)

Thoughts on the Audio: I really liked Rebecca Lowman's narration. It really felt like she was telling you a story and had a very listenable voice. I believe she narrates all of Rowell's books, so I predict I will be listening to the others even though I own them in paperback.

The Year of Audiobooks - Part Two

I have been atrocious with reviewing things this year but I thought I would at least mention my audio books for 2013. I posted the first part a couple weeks ago here. These are the others I have listened to this year.

I have to admit that Neil Gaiman and I have a love/hate relationship so I don't get quite as excited about him as others. That being said I really enjoyed The Graveyard Book and had high hopes for this one. And, they were rewarded! I really liked this one, too. The book takes place when a man returns home for a funeral and visits his childhood neighbours. This leads to him reliving the events from 40-years before and takes the rider along for the ride. Gaiman definitely puts an original spin on fantasy. And he narrates his own book which worked really well because it was a more personal experience to hear his story.

Sussex, England: A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. He is drawn to the farm at the end of the road, where, when he was seven, he encountered a most remarkable girl, Lettie Hempstock. He hasn't thought of Lettie in decades, and yet sitting by the pond (a pond that she'd claimed was an ocean), the unremembered past comes flooding back. Forty years earlier, a man committed suicide in a stolen car at this farm at the end of the road. Like a fuse on a firework, his death lit a touchpaper and resonated in unimaginable ways. The darkness was unleashed, something scary and thoroughly incomprehensible to a little boy. And Lettie - magical, comforting, wise beyond her years - promised to protect him, no matter what.

A groundbreaking work from a master, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is told with a rare understanding of all that makes us human, and shows the power of stories to reveal and shelter us from the darkness inside and out. A stirring, terrifying, and elegiac fable as delicate as a butterfly's wing and as menacing as a knife in the dark.

I now want to listen to more Neil Gaiman audiobooks. It might give me a new appreciation for an author that so many people love and I try to see the appeal.

I have wanted to read this series for ages and thought what better way than by audio. I have been told this book isn't quite as good as the rest of the series and I figured I would have a better chance of finishing it on audio if that was the case. I actually quite liked it. I wasn't bored. I am not sure if that would have been different if I had tried to read it? I used a credit on book two, but wanted to wait a bit before getting to it so I wouldn't burn out on the series. I liked the interesting approach to music and the various paranormal creatures that Andrews writes about. You would think with how overdone paranormal is getting to be it would be hard to keep being original about it. Plus, Kate is strong and sarcastic. I like that in a female character. And I finally got to see who Curran was. I had heard of him despite never reading this series before.

When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it arose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake.

Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate's guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta's magic circles.

The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizarre killings—and the death of Kate's guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she's way out of her league—but she wouldn't have it any other way…

The book is narrated by Renee Raudman. She did a really good job. I could easily picture her as Kate. I imagine that might be why I liked this book more than I expected to. I am pretty sure she narrates the whole series so I am looking forward to more from both her and Andrews.

Finally! Do you know that I lucked into a whole bunch of this series in hardcovers but decided I didn't want to undertake a huge series at the time and turned them in at the bookstore for credit? I figured I would regret it, but I am always so far behind in series that it seemed like a smart idea at the time. Frankly, the reason I decided to star the series this year is because I heard Elizabeth Peters had passed away and the series should be drawing to a close. It seemed a bit more manageable that way. As I expected I quite enjoyed Amelia Peabody. The story was a bit predictable, but it was still fun. I think I am going to enjoy reading on in this series.

Amelia Peabody, indomitable Victorian, embarks for Egypt armed with confidence, journal, and umbrella. Enroute to Cairo, she rescues dainty Evelyn, abandoned by her lover. They sail up the Nile to the archeological dig of the Emerson brothers - irascible but dashing Radcliffe and amiable Walter. A lively mummy, visitations, accidents, kidnap attempt - evil is afoot.

Some of the audiobooks have two narrators. I went with Barbara Rosenblat because I had heard good things about her. I was not disappointed. I can't wait to work my way through this series next year!

I actually reviewed this one! You can read my review here.

Stiff is an oddly compelling, often hilarious exploration of the strange lives of our bodies postmortem. For two thousand years, cadavers—some willingly, some unwittingly—have been involved in science's boldest strides and weirdest undertakings. They've tested France's first guillotines, ridden the NASA Space Shuttle, been crucified in a Parisian laboratory to test the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin, and helped solve the mystery of TWA Flight 800. For every new surgical procedure, from heart transplants to gender reassignment surgery, cadavers have been there alongside surgeons, making history in their quiet way.

In this fascinating, ennobling account, Mary Roach visits the good deeds of cadavers over the centuries—from the anatomy labs and human-sourced pharmacies of medieval and nineteenth-century Europe to a human decay research facility in Tennessee, to a plastic surgery practice lab, to a Scandinavian funeral directors' conference on human composting. In her droll, inimitable voice, Roach tells the engrossing story of our bodies when we are no longer with them.

So, I love Terry Pratchett and then never read him... I am also not very good at following along in his series. I have read all over the place so far. I have wanted to read this one forever and since it had a Christmas connection, I thought I would make it my 'Christmas' read. I could have just read it, but I decided to use an Audible credit on it. I really enjoyed the story. It was fun just like Pratchett always tends to be. I mean, really, Death as the Hogfather? Pratchett really plays with 'conventional' Christmas ideas. Plus, Deaths Grand-daughter, Susan, was a wonderfully written female character.

Susan had never hung up a stocking . She'd never put a tooth under her pillow in the serious expectation that a dentally inclined fairy would turn up. It wasn't that her parents didn't believe in such things. They didn't need to believe in them. They know they existed. They just wished they didn't.

There are those who believe and those who don't. Through the ages, superstition has had its uses. Nowhere more so than in the Discworld where it's helped to maintain the status quo. Anything that undermines superstition has to be viewed with some caution. There may be consequences, particularly on the last night of the year when the time is turning. When those consequences turn out to be the end of the world, you need to be prepared. You might even want more standing between you and oblivion than a mere slip of a girl - even if she has looked Death in the face on numerous occasions...

My only quibble was I am really not sure I liked the narrator, Nigel Planer. He does well overall and is great on male voices, but he cannot do female voices at all. He narrates a vast majority of the series, but there are others interspersed. I am not sure if I want to listen to more of them or just go back to reading them.

And that concludes my audiobooks so far for the year. Considering before this year I never really listened to them before, I am impressed with how many I made my way through. I am hoping 2014 will lead to many great listens and hopefully I can finish 1 or 2 more before the end of the year.

Any recommendations? I always appreciate them!

2014 Reading Challenges

I didn't do any reading challenges last year... Well, this year. I decided to do a couple in 2014, though. Nothing too stressful. We will see how it goes! The ones I picked out are below: 

Hosted By Teresa's Reading Corner.

January 1, 2014 - December 31, 2014

There are five levels to the challenge: 

Flirting-Listen to 6 Audio Books
Going Steady- Listen to 12 Audio Books
Lover- Listen to 25 Audio Books
Married-Listen to more than 25 Audio Books
You Define the Relationship- Create your own challenge (choose your own name and level starting as low or going as high as you’d like) 

This challenge is completely laid back. I want it to be as enjoyable as possible.
Audio Books can be any genre
You can cross challenges
You don’t have to be a blogger to participate. You can tell us about what you are listening to in the comments of the monthly link up.

My Thoughts: In a dream would I would like to listen to two audiobooks  a month, but we will see how that goes... To start with I will go with Going Steady - Listen to 12 Audio Books.

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Hosted at it own dedicated blog.

January 1, 2014 - December 31, 2014

Wondering what’s a chunkster? A chunkster is an adult book, non-fiction or fiction, that’s 450 pages or more.

Rules for this challenge:

Audio books and e-books are now allowed. You want to listen to a chunkster on audio? Be my guest.
Essay, short story, and poetry collections are allowed but they have to be read in their entirety to count.
Books may crossover with other challenges.
Anyone can join.
You don’t have to list your book ahead of time.
Graphic novels don’t count. Sorry guys but reading a chunkster graphic novel isn’t the same as reading a non-graphic chunkster.

I’ve been thinking long and hard about the levels of participation that have always been a part of this challenge. This year we’re going to try something new: there won’t be any levels.

My Thoughts: I am not going to stress about it. I just want to clean some of the chunskters off my shelves.

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Hosted at its own dedicated blog.

January 1, 2014 - December 31, 2014

Here’s the schedule:

Jan./Feb.: Gulf Wars (Gulf War/Operation Desert Storm and Iraq War/Operation Iraqi Freedom)
March/April: French and Indian War
May/June: Korean War
July/August: WWI (100th Anniversary)
Sept./Oct.: WWII
Nov./Dec.: Vietnam War

Level of Participation:

Dip Your Toes: Read 1 book for any war
Novice: Read 1 book per war throughout the year for a total of 6 books on 6 different wars
Intermediate: Read 2+ books for 1 war, and 1 book for each of the others for a total of 7 books
Expert: Read 2+ books for each war for a total of 12 books

My Thoughts: I really like the idea of this challenge. I should do it more! I am not sure what level to go with just because I have no idea what to read for some of the wars. I normally read primarily WWI and WWII, so I will have to see what the options are for the other wars and take it from there.

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Hosted at its own dedicated blog.

January 1, 2014 - December 31, 2014

Here is how the Challenge will play out this year:

Levels:

Modern Age: read and review 12 books during the year (that's only 1 book a month)
Bronze Age: read and review 24 books during the year (Can you handle 2 books a month.)
Silver Age: read and review 52 books during the year (Are you up to a book a week!)

You must sign up for a level, but once you complete that level you may move up and try for the next one.

My Thoughts: I am behind on my graphic novel reading. I need to catch-up! I am going to go with the Modern Age. I would have to start going back to the library to do better than that. We will see how it goes.

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Audiobook Review: Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach

~~Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach~~

Completion Date: December 5, 2013
Reason for Reading: Fun!

Stiff is an oddly compelling, often hilarious exploration of the strange lives of our bodies postmortem. For two thousand years, cadavers—some willingly, some unwittingly—have been involved in science's boldest strides and weirdest undertakings. They've tested France's first guillotines, ridden the NASA Space Shuttle, been crucified in a Parisian laboratory to test the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin, and helped solve the mystery of TWA Flight 800. For every new surgical procedure, from heart transplants to gender reassignment surgery, cadavers have been there alongside surgeons, making history in their quiet way.

In this fascinating, ennobling account, Mary Roach visits the good deeds of cadavers over the centuries—from the anatomy labs and human-sourced pharmacies of medieval and nineteenth-century Europe to a human decay research facility in Tennessee, to a plastic surgery practice lab, to a Scandinavian funeral directors' conference on human composting. In her droll, inimitable voice, Roach tells the engrossing story of our bodies when we are no longer with them.

Description taken from Goodreads.com

Well, finally. After not finishing a single book in November I have finished two so far in December. I am not entirely sure what is up with my reading year. If I hadn't started listening to audiobooks this year I would have hardly read anything at all. I had been listening to Stiff on audio since the end of October. It took me so long to listen not because I didn't like it, but because I primarily listen to audiobooks on the treadmill and it took a while to get organized enough to get back to using it. Hopefully now I can work on some of the audiobooks I have been wanting to listen to!

On to Stiff. I have heard nothing but good things about Mary Roach. At one point I even started reading this book on my tablet, but for some reason never finished. I can't even remember when that was, but I do remember that I was enjoying her writing style. After I finished the first Amelia Peabody book on audio in October I went to Twitter looking for recommendations and this was one I received. I had all ready picked it up somewhere along the line, so I bumped it up my TBR. And, I am so glad that I did! Mary Roach writes like she is telling you a story even if it is non-fiction about dead people. This meant that it worked really well as an audio. And, it was fascinating which I didn't expect to ever say about a book about cadavers.

Roach explores different aspects of the dead community and breaks it into chapters. She also travelled around the world as part of her research and touches on both the historical practices and more modern examples. This means you get a bit of a background about where we have started from and where we find ourselves now. I actually know a bit about ancient burial practices because of my love of history, but I learned a lot about new practices. I had no idea there were so many options when I filled out my health card saying that I wanted to be a donor. If Canada is anything like the U.S. in its practices, you can be crash test dummies, science experiments, practice aids, etc. There was even a look at a class of plastic surgeons practising on heads from cadavers. When I think of being a donor I always thought it was basically if there was anything useful, your organs and such would go to help other people. Apparently this is a much broader idea.

I was impressed by how interesting Roach makes what could be a boring and dry subject. She interjects humour and personal experiences. The only scene I didn't enjoy on audio was when she was talking about maggots. Strangely enough that was the only time I felt a bit ill and this whole book was about cutting people up, decomposing, and other not so pleasant thoughts. It could have been a bit too much, but not with Roach's approach. And, it's a bit different from the general non-fiction you find out there. All of her books look to be.

Overall I really enjoyed my first experience with Mary Roach. I look forward to more!

Strongly Recommended! 

Thoughts on the Audio: This audio is narrated by Shelly Frasier. I really liked her! As I said above the book is written like Roach is telling a story. You could easily picture Frasier as Roach telling you all about dead bodies. It worked really well and she has a very easy voice to listen to. It was definitely a good coupling and I look forward to listening to Frasier again in the future.

Source: Audiobook via Audible.com

Audiobooks for Christmas...

So, for the last couple years I was all about the sales at Bookcloseouts.com. I even did a vlog! This year I checked and checked making sure I caught the sale right away... And, well, I was disappointed. Then I got an email about the Audible Black Friday sale. The guy kind of thinks I have too many physical books anyway; so when I told him I wanted ones that wouldn't take up any space he jumped at the idea. It just kind of means I got my present early... The problem with electronic books, I guess. (Not my first choice for that reason....) Here is what I picked out:

~~The Privilege of the Sword by Ellen Kushner~~
-- This is not the first book in the series, but I have wanted to read it for a while and Memory recommended it. So, I will get the rest of the trilogy with my credits.

~~Mystic and Rider: The Twelve Houses, Book 1 by Sharon Shinn~~
-- I have been aiming to catch-up on Sharon Shinn books and thought this was a good chance to get to this series.

~~WWW: Wake by Robert J. Sawyer~~
-- This trilogy has been on my wish list for a while so why not go the audio... I am looking forward to it!

~~Blackout by Connie Willis~~
~~All Clear by Connie Willis~~
-- um, duh? I have heard really good things about this coupling and you can't been like 10 bucks for two books. They were the two in my wish list that I was most excited to see in the sale!

~~The Serpent Sea by Martha Wells~~
-- I have really wanted to read Martha Wells for a while, so I couldn't resist this one! It is actually book 2, but I will just use a credit for book 1.

~~Memory and Dream by Charles de Lint~~
-- I have to have any and all Charles de Lint...

~~Sing Them Home by Stephanie Kallos~~
-- I have wanted to read this for ages! I can't even really remember what it is about any more, but it was on my wish list!

~~Dust and Shadow by Lyndsay Faye~~
-- I have been hearing good things about Lyndsay Faye lately and this was a good chance to add her to my TBR pile.

~~The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin~~
-- This is my one reread. I want to read the rest of the trilogy and this is a chance to refresh my memory.

~~Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews~~
--I am enjoying this series on audio so far so thought I would grab this one ahead of time!








I definitely have some good times ahead! I think I will likely leave these until after the holidays just because they are part of my Christmas present, but it is fun to have! What would you start with?