Book Journey

Morning Meanderings… Are You Listening? We Are Learning Something Here!

Published on June 21, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)20 Comments

Good morning! Friday! Glorious Friday! I am packing my bags for a cabin weekend with my friends Belinda, Sheila, Rhonda, and Farrah. We are going to do a little biking, a little hiking, and hanging out and catching up. I feel so behind, we are leaving in a couple of hours and I have yet to go and buy my groceries or clean out the jeep. But when I get moving – whew! I will be fast! 😀

Todays Audio Book Week discussion topic is:

Where do you learn about great audiobook titles? Buy your audiobooks? Share your secrets with the rest of us! We’d particularly love to know what narrators or publishers are active in social media or do a great job communicating with listeners.

I learn about great audio from other audio book lovers. Alison from Alison’s Bookmarks reads and enjoys books and audio very similar to my own taste. Occasionally we will chat about what we are listening too and what we recommend only to find out that whoever recommends it, the other has usually already listened to it. 😀 Kathy from Bermuda Onion is another audio book lover who reviews titles that have me adding to my list. By watching the blogs, googling for titles and/or reviews – I can usually find great audio to listen to.

If you are new to audio (first of all – AWESOME! You are going to love your new audible world! It will open up reading time you did not know you had! 😀 ), ok again… if you are new to audio (SQQQUUUEEE!!!!) then I recommend watching what people are saying about audio books you are considering. Not all audio is great audio. Shoot, some audio is not even good audio…. but find people who’s reviews you trust and seriously dig in. 😀

Where do I buy my audio? I am a BIG fan of audible.com. Audible has great audio that you download to your computer or smart phone and off you go. I use audible all the time – AND they have samples of each audio book (and ratings!) so you can listen before you buy. 😀 If you are new to audible.com they offer your first audio for free! That is huge – audio books can run between $20 – 50! If you are new to audible and want to try it I have a link on my right side bar – go and check it out!

Audible.com works by credits, you can purchase a credit (or two) a month that automatically comes off your credit card – but do not panic, this is not like old school Columbia House where you are committed to so much time or so many books – nope, you stop any time you wish. And your audible credit (which is good for one audio book of your choice) is so much less costly than purchasing an audio book from a store. I have used audible for three years now. For a little over a year I stuck to one credit a month – but then I moved up to 2 credits a month. I needed more audible 😀 AND for their members they have these great sales that are $4.95 audio books – or like now they have a two for one credit sale going on… which… I bought two audio books last night off that deal.

The last part of todays topic I have trouble answering because I do not know the answer. I do not have a lot of time for Facebook or Twitter so I do not really know who is on their. 😀

This is probably my final post for the weekend (unless I get a review in yet today!) I am leaving for the cabin and not taking lap top along. I have no internet service there so it is really a waste of time to try to connect places and a waste of space in my luggage. 😀 Hope you all have an awesome weekend – as I wrap up audio book week here, I want to once again tell you to give it a try. You may surprise yourself 😀

Quiet The Power Of Introverts by Susan Cain

Published on June 20, 2013June 20, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)26 Comments

Did you know that at least one-third of all the people in the world are introverts? They prefer listening to speaking, reading to going out to parties, staying in as opposed to hitting the grad parties, weddings. They tend to dislike self promotion and favor working on their own over team brainstorming sessions. They are labeled quiet, shy, unsure of themselves, non sociable…. and in many cases that is not true at all.

Did you know the introverts of our society actually approach challenges not as rushed as an extrovert, not speaking as loudly or as quickly as an extrovert, and that is ok? It is ok to be more of a listener and a processor than the up front idea person. After all introverts contribute much to our society… it was an introvert who invented the personal computer. Rosa Parks was an introvert.

Did you know that I am an introvert?

I absolutely adored this book. Why? Because it absolutely spoke to me and it was about me. That person who would rather work quietly at their desk prodding along without a team of people to assist? That is me. That person who walks into a party and sees no one she knows so finds a quiet corner to hang out in? Me. The person who listens more than speaks during staff meetings? Me again.

Yet I have friends who are shocked when they hear me refer to myself as an introvert. I am not overcome by stage fright, I can speak to large groups of people, I can lead a book discussion group, a committee, and be an advocate for a cause. What my friends need to remember is that the day they met me, I did not run up squeal and hug them. 😀 It takes time for me to warm into a group where I feel comfortable to speak up with my ideas and opinions. I don’t have the “bull in a china shop” mentality where I can charge on in and look around later…. I need to know my surroundings and get a feel for the environment and the people around me before I can move forward.

What I took away from Quiet is that the way I need to energize is by being alone, and not always wanting to take on a group of people to complete a task I can do on my own, is normal introvert behavior. And better yet, it is ok to ask this way. That was kind of life changing for me to hear that. I do like to work alone. I do get excited when I come home and I have the house to myself. I am sure my lifestyle of kids gone and hubby working all the time does not help me control this desire. I am alone a lot. And I really like it.

We know society leans in favor towards the extrovert. We see them on TV and they are the actors and actresses we are drawn to by the power they have to capture our attention. They are the people around us who flourish in business discussions, can rule the conversation in a group, and can be found at most social engagements. Yes what Susan Cain lets us know is not to overlook the person who is more quiet, more reflective than verbal… after all they are the makings of J K Rowling, Steve Jobs, Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, and Steven King.

As book lovers, I think many of us may be considered introverts.

Kathe Mazur does a fine job of narrating this one. Highly recommended to anyone who has ever been told they need to speak up more, has been called quiet or shy and knows that there is more to them than meets the eye.

Morning Meanderings… Where Do You Do The Audio You Do?

Published on June 20, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)27 Comments

Thursday already. Seems like this week flew by. I feel like we have hardly grazed everything we could discuss about audio books and now the week is almost over. Did you know June is audio book month? Really … I could talk audio the rest of the month and as you know – I review a lot of audio books. 😀

So today’s discussion question from the lovely Jen of Devourer of Books is:

What do you do while you listen? Any particular tasks or games that you find amazing for audio time?

When ever I talk about the audio I am listening to, I receive at least one comment about either 1) where do you find the time or 2) how do you listen to several at once?

The time part is easy. My hubby and I had our kids young and currently one son is in college and the other in the Navy. We own an excavating business which keeps my hubby busy about 12 + hours a day and he keeps farmers hours (up at 5:30 am in bed by 8:30 pm) so I have a lot of time where I am either hanging out alone or awake alone. 😀

I listen to audio:

1. When I get up in the morning while I make the bed, shower, pick out clothes, makeup and hair and get ready for my day. That’s usually 30 minutes of audio time. (audio on IPOD)

2. I go into the kitchen and while I check email and pour myself a cup of coffee or make an egg (I don’t personally make the egg -a chicken did that, I just cook it 😉 ) I listen to the audio either in the cd player or the one on my phone. that’s about 15 – 20 minutes.

3. When I drive to work I listen to audio in the car which is only a 3 mile drive but I listen to audio whenever I am in the car as I am usually driving alone so I listen away. (probably about a minimum of 30 minutes a day on that one.)

4. I listen to audio when I cook or dust, or fold clothes – any task that is not noisy when I do it. (back to the audio on my phone or cd player)

5. I listen to audio while I mow the lawn. The lawn takes me about 2 1/2 hours and I love it as that is full on undiluted audio time. (Ipod)

6. Occasionally if I am web browsing on the weekend, I will listen to audio while I do that (phone, IPOD, or cd audio )- whichever one hold my attention at the time)

7. Sometimes when I am filing papers or doing easy tasks that just take time, not my full attention – I listen to audio.

To answer the second question – how do I keep them straight. I don’t really know. They are usually quite diverse in genre as well as narration and I am able to pick up where I left off. For instance, currently in the IPOD is Inferno by Dan Brown – male narrator, “puzzley” mystery type. On my phone is The Last Original Wife and it is more funny, the female narrator has an awesome southern twang that I am enjoying very much. Is This Tomorrow is the audio cd in the jeep and this is more literature style, female narrator with a raspy type even paced voice (Xe Sands is the narrator which is usually awesome – but I don’t know about this one… more on that in my review). As you see, each is very different from the other.

To those of you who have not tried audio or think you have to sit in a chair staring at a wall to listen I hope I just showed you that audio is to be listened to and mixed in with your life. There are so many ways to listen to audio that I do hope that either this post or a post that someone else writes on this topic today triggers for you a way that you could give it a try. Earlier posts this week gave suggestions of what to listen to, and now you know when to listen 😀

But Sheila…. I don’t have an empty house like you do! I have kids, and a spouse who works regular hours and it is summer so I have beach dates with other parents and …..

Anyone can carve out a little time. 😀 Go forth and walk, clean, jog, mow, do the dishes, cook, dust, drive, bake, shower, clean out the frig, organize your books, do the windows, plant your garden, pull weeds, sweep the deck, file papers, work on crafts, build something in the garage, clean the garage, mark items for a garage sale, riding on the back or a motorcycle (I have done this!) clean a closet, hang clothes on a clothes line, eat lunch, paint your nails….

all while listening to audio. 😀

Have a fab day. It is storming out this morning and I am on day 5 of my half marathon training. The first 3 days (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday were 3 mile walk/runs. Yesterday was a scheduled break (there are 2 a week) and today is a 3 mile that I will be doing at the YMCA this morning before work so I had better get moving 😀

Later tonight I am hoping it clears up and dries up so I can mow (Yes – to audio!)

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris (audio review)

Published on June 19, 2013June 19, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)14 Comments

David Safaris does it again with his short stories of his life in laugh out loud humorous ways. Always witty, from trying to learn French, a cashiers creepy long fingernails, to the hard decisions he had to make about his cat…. David dares you to try to keep a straight face!

Ok, first off if you tell me you have read Sedaris I am going to flat out tell you you don’t know Sedaris. In fact, I may put in a few hip hop moves and add some slang like ” You ain’t no friend of Sedaris – you don’t know him!” I may even push you with my pointer finger in your chest.

Now, I am not a mean person – quite the contrary, but I have to say that if you have not listened to Sedaris on audio – which he narrates himself. Well…

you are missing out.

I listed to Sedaris a few weeks back and was hooked. In his funny, witty, matter of fact tone he shares the happenings of his life which as we know – not everyone can pull off. This is no invitation to come over and watch 4 hours of slides of a family member from a recent vacation with 28 different shots of little Billy peeing in the pool… oh no, David Sedaris had me laughing out loud.

“Every day we’re told that we live in the greatest country on earth. And it’s always stated as an undeniable fact: Leos are born between July 23 and August 22, fitted queen-size sheets measure sixty by eighty inches, and America is the greatest country on earth. Having grown up with this in our ears, it’s startling to realize that other countries have nationalistic slogans of their own, none of which are ‘We’re number two!”
― David Sedaris, Me Talk Pretty One Day

“At the end of a miserable day, instead of grieving my virtual nothing, I can always look at my loaded wastepaper basket and tell myself that if I failed, at least I took a few trees down with me.”
― David Sedaris, Me Talk Pretty One Day

“Unlike my father, who blindly churned out one canvas after another, I had real ideas about the artistic life. Seated at my desk, my beret as tight as an acorn’s cap, I projected myself into the world represented in the art books I’d borrowed from the public library. Leafing past the paintings, I would admire the photographs of the artists seated in their garrets, dressed in tattered smocks and frowning in the direction of their beefy nude models…”

I highly recommend giving David’s books a try. He is occasionally vulgar in language, but if that doesn’t bother you, you will find a great listen in Sedaris.

Morning Meanderings…Audio Mid Week – “Whatcha Listening to?”

Published on June 19, 2013June 19, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)31 Comments

Good morning! Happy Wednesday! Hazah and flowers to you all! Ok… no idea why I am giddy.. maybe because it is my first break in my half marathon training and I did not have to run this morning… maybe it is because I am going to the cabin in two days with friends to bike ride and that is exciting too…. I really don’t know…

Today is mid-week through audio book week and today we are supposes to answer the questions provided by Jen at Devourer Of Books:

Current/most recent audiobook:

I am listening to three right now. The Last Original Wide is on my phone – its a fun one!

Is This Tomorrow is in my car…. interesting…

And I am just starting Inferno this morning when I get ready for work. A friend of mine who is in a different book club read it and said they really enjoyed it and now several of my other friends are reading it too… I am curious, I have enjoyed what I have read of Dan Brown in the past.

Current/most recent favorite audiobook:

If we are talking recent audio, I am going to have to go with Quiet. I took away so much on this non fiction books about introverts. Incredible listen.

Favorite narrator you’ve discovered recently:

Hmmmmm….. I dont know about favorite but The Good House was narrated by Mary Beth Hurt and I loved how well she portrayed the characters!

One title from your TBL (to be listened) stack, or your audio wishlist:

Celebrating the healing power of food and the magic of New York City, A Place at the Table follows the lives of three seekers who come together in the understanding that when you embrace the thing that makes you different, you become whole. A Place at the Table tells the story of three unforgettable characters whose paths converge in a storied Manhattan café: Bobby, a young gay man from Georgia who has been ostracized by his family; Amelia, a wealthy Connecticut woman whose life is upended when a family secret comes to light; and Alice, an African-American chef from North Carolina whose heritage is the basis of a renowned cookbook but whose past is a mystery to those who know her. These characters are exiles – from homeland, from marriage, from family. While they all find companionship and careers through cooking, they hunger for the deeper nourishment of communion. As the narrative sweeps from a freed-slave settlement in 1920s North Carolina to Manhattan during the deadly AIDS epidemic of the 1980s to the well-heeled hamlet of contemporary Old Greenwich, Connecticut, Bobby, Amelia, and Alice are asked to sacrifice everything they ever knew or cared about to find authenticity and fulfillment.

I am excited about this one. I think it sounds really good!

So that’s the audio post for today. Stop by Devourer Of Books and see what others are saying to these questions… I know I will be! 😀

I am off, full day at work, a meeting afterwards for camp planning and a gym date tonight with my friend Kate.

If you listen to audio, I would love to hear how you would answer these questions – better yet, write a posy and add it to the link at Devourer of Books.

Enjoy your day 😀

Wash by Margaret Wrinkle (Audio review)

Published on June 18, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)4 Comments

Tennessee. Early 1800’s. James Richardson, a man who has fought his way to the top to build up his own wealth and status finds himself looking for some strong male slaves to help him keep up with his ever-growing property. He is surprised when his eyes fall on a proud looking woman slave, although Richardson is not in the market for female help, he finds himself purchasing her, Mena, anyway, almost before he realizes what he is doing.

Richardson puts Mena to work minding his kitchen and as time passes he realizes she is pregnant with child. What a bargain Richardson had for purchasing a pregnant slave. Soon, Mena gives birth to Wash. As Wash grows into a man, he holds the same strong confident will that his mother does. When Wash is a young man, Richardson, who is struggling financially, notices how the female slaves watch Wash. Richardson gathers his neighbors and offers Wash as a stud service (for a small fee) to go to their properties and lay with their women to create babies that will grow up to be strong like Wash which is of course, more slaves for the lot of them.

And so it begins.

Told in the alternating voices of Wash, Richardson, Thompson, Thompsons son Eli, and Pallas who is the woman who Wash really wants to be with.

When I read the synopsis of Wash I was thrilled with the story line. I had never thought of slaves breeding slaves (I don’t know why – I am sure now that it must have happened) but it felt to me both repulsive and brilliant on the landowners part. I mean that in no disrespect – but instead setting myself in the time period in which this story unfolds.

Wash is incredibly likeable. I pictures him as strong and quiet but knows how to hold his own and protect his own when he has too. Wash’s mother taught his right and as he grows he is able to get a better understanding to the messages she had given him in his younger years.

Narrated by a cast of different voices this audio plays our nicely as each voice is its own. There are times the multiple narrator-ed books are not appealing to me but this one flows nicely. Each time a chapter changed perspectives of who was talking I looked forward to hearing their part of the story.

As a whole, Wash is a powerful and captivating read. I found his situation unfathomable and yet I had to know his story… how do you love one, but be with another because you have to – sent out to stud much like a horse….

Wash is truly worth your time.

Morning Meanderings… Late Kick Off To Audio Book Week

Published on June 18, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)29 Comments

HI all! I missed the official kick off to Audio Book week yesterday so today I will play some catch up…. here is what yesterdays topic was:

Are you new to audiobooks in the last year? Have you been listening to them forever but discovered something new this year? Favorite titles? New times/places to listen? This is your chance to introduce yourself and your general listening experience.

I discovered audio books about three years ago. Prior to that – I thought they were something outdated and something my aunt and uncle who travel from California to Minnesota each spring in an RV listen to (and that part is true…)

And then – I received an audio book for review and a whole new world was opened to me. I know there are many of you out there who have told me that you just cant get into audio – you can not focus, it’s boring… I have heard all of the things you said…

But listen up. I don’t sit and listen to audio. I listen to it while I mow the lawn which really passes the time and keeps it interesting. I listen to it while I cook and it keeps me patient and in the kitchen (two things I am not good at), I listen to it while I get ready in the morning in the morning for work and while I drive and I LOVE it. Audio books triple (yes, triple) my reading each year.

My challenge to you – please try it. My recommendations are:

80’s lovers – you will not go wrong with Ready Player One – Will Weaton is awesome!

mystery lovers – it was the James Patterson (wait wait here me out…)Michael Bennett series that hooked me!

Chick Lit – Joshyln Jacksons books are so fantastic and she reads them herself – southern fun! Backseat Saints, Gods In Alabama…. soooo good!

Historical Fiction – 11-22-63 was so amazing – yes its long yes its worth it!

For fun – Lucia! Lucia! By Adriana Trigiani sooooo good!

Non Fiction – Rob Lowes Things I only Tell My Friends and The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks

Day 2:

How do you decide what you’ll listen to? Do you mostly listen, or split time between listening and reading? Particularly if you split time, how do you decide what you’ll consume in audio and what in print?

A lot of the time I look at other reviews to see what people are listening to and what they think of it. Jen (Devourer Of Books) has a Sound Bites meme that each Friday she has people link up their audio books they have listened to that week. This is a great resource when you are looking for your next great listen. It seems like I am always pr using Audible.com looking for something great to listen to.

This time of year seems like I mostly listen as I am so active outside and on the go. When it comes to choosing if I will read of listen to something many times I will hear about something wonderful on audio and then go that route – other times it could be a book club book I know I will not have time to sit and read so I will download it on audio. Audio books truly help me “read” more books then I ever could before.

So that is the first two days of the audio book week. I hope to post an audio review later today. To check out more on audio book week stop over and see Devourer Of Books posts.

This morning I am on my way to do my day 3 training for a half marathon this fall. The past two days of training have been good but I have a long way to go. I have walk/jogged the training session (3 miles) each day and cant wait until it fills a little smoother, a little more natural. I will keep you posted.

Published on June 16, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)41 Comments

I love being a part of this and I hope you do too! As part of this weekly meme I love to encourage you all to go and visit the others participating in this meme. I offer a weekly contest for those who visit 10 or more of the Monday Meme participants and leave a comment telling me how many you visited. **You do not have to have a blog to participate! You receive one entry for every 10 comments, just come back here and tell me how many in the comment area.

Under the new and hopefully improved 2013 guidelines, the winner each week will receive a $5 Amazon gift card. This past weeks winner is:

Mama Bear Musings

Congratulations! please send me an email at journeythrougnbook@gmail.com and I will get this out to you later this week!

A busy week here between organizing a 5k for a fund raiser and book club this past Tuesday. Here is what was on the blog:

However Long The Night by Aimee Molloy (Wow what an amazing book!)

The Fate Of Mercy Alban by Wendy Webb (Bookies June read and review)

Brown Bag Author Event: William Souder

The Good House by Ann Leary (pretty goof listen on audio!)

This week here is what I will be working on that is new:

Leslie Anne Greene Carter is The Last Original Wife among her husband Wesley’s wildly successful Atlanta social set. His cronies have all traded in the mothers of their children they promised to love and cherish—’til death did them part—for tanned and toned young Barbie brides.

If losing the social life and close friends she adored wasn’t painful enough, a series of setbacks shake Les’s world and push her to the edge. She’s had enough of playing the good wife to a husband who thinks he’s doing her a favor by keeping her around. She’s not going to waste another minute on people she doesn’t care to know. Now, she’s going to take some time for herself—in the familiar comforts and stunning beauty of Charleston, her beloved hometown. In her brother’s stately historic home, she’s going to reclaim the carefree girl who spent lazy summers sharing steamy kisses with her first love on Sullivans Island. Along Charleston’s live oak- and palmetto-lined cobblestone streets, under the Lowcountry’s dazzling blue sky, Les will indulge herself with icy cocktails, warm laughter, divine temptation and bittersweet memories. Daring to listen to her inner voice, she will realize what she wants . . . and find the life of which she’s always dreamed.

Told in the alternating voices of Les and Wes, The Last Original Wife is classic Dorothea Benton Frank: an intoxicating tale of family, friendship, self-discovery, and love, that is as salty as a Lowcountry breeze and as invigorating as a dip in Carolina waters on a sizzling summer day.

In 1956, Ava Lark rents a house with her twelve-year-old son, Lewis, in a desirable Boston suburb. Ava is beautiful, divorced, Jewish, and a working mom. She finds her neighbors less than welcoming. Lewis yearns for his absent father, befriending the only other fatherless kids: Jimmy and Rose. One afternoon, Jimmy goes missing. The neighborhood—in the throes of Cold War paranoia—seizes the opportunity to further ostracize Ava and her son.

Years later, when Lewis and Rose reunite to untangle the final pieces of the tragic puzzle, they must decide: Should you tell the truth even if it hurts those you love, or should some secrets remain buried?

Tonight I am sitting here watching Identity Theft (funny!) And getting ready for Audio Book Week that starts tomorrow.

What are you reading this week? Add your link below where it says chick here.

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And for those of you who read mainly YA or Middle grade books, feel free to also link up the younger version of # IMWAYR as well

Morning Meanderings… Books and Running

Published on June 16, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)11 Comments

Good morning! I was not planning to drop off the blogesphere yesterday but I was in charge of a 5K here in Brainerd and after getting up at 5 am and biking the route to mark it off and then setting up the event with awesome awesome awesome volunteers at 6:30 am and then being there until afternoon…

well lets just say I was shot.

A mid afternoon nap, assembling a new grill for my hubby for his Fathers Day gift, and a visit from my cousin Cheryl made for a nice evening . We used the grill last night too.

As for books that came in the past couple of weeks here is what I have:

I have some fun reading ahead!

When you read the start of this post about the 5k know that I am not a runner. My cousin Jarrod says if you are out and moving and not sitting on the couch yes you are a runner… but really, I don’t think I am.

However, I do want to be.

So that said, today I am starting my half marathon training. My friend Christy and possibly a couple of others I know are planning on doing a half marathon this October. The half marathon has been my goal for this year and frankly between our winter that lasted through April and the rain that took over May – I am way way behind.

I am still doing it.

I am using a plan called 12 Week Half Marathon. I am starting today with the Tuesday schedule – the 3 mile. In fact, I should be on the trail in the next thirty minutes. After that my cousin Cheryl is meeting me to Rollerblade. I will keep you informed here and probably on the Fitness blog I started and have neglected for the past three months 😳

Later this afternoon I am going to listen to audio while working in my hosta garden and then we will probably grill again – gorgeous out today! And then tonight I will do some reading. My day sounds awesome – I hope yours does too. 😀

The Good House by Ann Leary

Published on June 14, 2013June 14, 2013 by Sheila (Book Journey)21 Comments

Successful real estate agent Hildy Good (age 60+) has lived in the Boston area for well, all her life. She considers herself not only a wonderful agent, but also a good friend, mother, grandmother, and confidant. Why if Hildy were to tell you, she would say that she is the center pulse to the town and all things start and stop with her.

Of course, the occasional drink is a must in order to celebrate, social occasions, or wind down, or help her sleep, or calm her nerves, or just to take the edge off… or….

after having gone to treatment thanks to her families prodding and an intervention, “meddling” would be Hildy’s words…

“if they invite you over for dinner, and it’s not a major holiday, run for your life” ~ Hildy

…she no longer drinks, going late to party invites just in time to grab a bite of food make small talk and leave as dessert is served. Yes, Hildy no longer drinks.

Or… more accurately, Hildy no longer drinks in public.

There is still her hidden wine stash in the cellar at home and who is she really hurting by having a glass or two in the privacy of her own home, or finishing off a bottle because it just doesn’t make sense to re-cork it when there is only a partial glass left, or a glass and a half…

and really, so what if she occasionally passes out in her living room in a chair, or has no recollection of the previous nights events, or phone calls her friends “claim” she made, or the occasional drive in her car that she can not remember where she went or what she did…

no, really – if people would all just mind their own business. Really mind their own business, because as Hildy knows all to well, there’s a lot of things going on in this little town of hers… things that people would not be too keen to have spread around…

The Good House was a book I listened to on audio and right from the start of Mary Beth Hurt’s narration I knew I was in for a treat. I absolutely loves the voice of Hildy, she was matter of fact, a story-teller, an observing person, and 100% in denial. Her story is engaging as she observes those in her town as they move in and out of the houses she sells (or hopes to!) Seeing the world from the eyes of a realtor was a treat – from the inside (“the holes in the walls and the stains in the carpet… it would be a miracle if she would ever be able to sell it!”) to the outside people coming in (“since they moved into town they were by far the richest family in the area – at least as far as money goes…”)

I laughed along with Hildy’s antics and excuses of why she just needed that one drink – just a sip and how irritating it was when people arrived who just by being there delayed her chance to relax with just one glass of wine… just one…

My only tiny thought that does not fall in the “love it!” category is that at some points it seemed to go on and on in a side direction that seemed overly unnecessary.

While the Good House is full of funny moments, it is also surrounding a serious subject and after a while I no longer found Hildy funny, but a little pathetic – however that is not a negative. I think as the reader (listener) we should come to that conclusion that Hildy’s excuses for drinking are tiresome and wearing… and in that case, the author hit this subject dead on.

I would recommend The Good House, I had recollections of Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove series, but with a harder edge to it.