Tag: Audio Review

Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman (audio review)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)20 Comments

“Momma always told me, being in the North isn’t living…. its absolute hell.”

Cecelia Rose Honeycutt

 

Cecelia (Cee Cee) Honeycutt is twelve years old but feels she has had to be an adult almost her entire life.  Her father (and we use the term loosely) is never around.  he travels for his job and the brief times he is home he is always mad and shouting at Cee Cee’s mother Camille.

Camille, a long time ago, was a Southern beauty queen.  And this is where many of Camille’s problems lie…  in a non satisfying marriage, Camille has reverted in her mind to the beauty queen days.  Many times dressing in formal gowns and a tiara as she dances and waves in her yard or goes up town shopping.  Some days she has trouble remembering exactly where she is and tends to go on shopping sprees that involve buying boxes and boxes of shoes or dresses.

In the middle, of course in Cee Cee….. trying to help her mother but at the same time resenting her not being a mom that she can be proud of…. one that will let her be the child instead of the adult….

And then one day all of this changes, with the incident with the ice cream truck…..

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

TMI?

Not really….. I have shared nothing here that you can not learn from reading the back of the book cover.  And what I have said, really is only the beginning of a charming story about a young girl finding her way and her place in life.

Wow.  Yes, in a word wow.  Beth Hoffman presents a story line filled with such fun and realistic characters that I wanted to don a large sun hat and come knocking on the door!  And what characters you will meet along the way!  Cee Cee may think that her life is one to be pitied but as circumstances open new doors for her and she begins to find a new direction – one that she could never have dreamed!

In this endearing book (as told from the point of view of Cee Cee) Cee Cee will place memories in her life book that she will hold close to her heart forever…

and in the end, I will too.

** This audio book is read by Jenna Lamia, who’s youthful voice made Cee Cee come to life.  I absolutely adored the reading and had to jump on-line to find out what other books Jenna has narrated.  She was perfect for the role – and the voices of the characters jumped out of the speakers and I felt as though I was in the room with them…. picking weeds out of the garden, spying on the crazy neighbor and drinking cold lemonade on the porch.

AMAZON Rating

I purchased my copy of this audio from audible.com

Life Sentences by Laura Lippman (audio review)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)10 Comments

Writer Cassandra Fallows achieved critical and commercial success with an account of her Baltimore childhood growing up in the 1960s and a follow-up dealing with her adult marriages and affairs. The merely modest success of her debut novel leads her back to nonfiction and the possibility of a book about grade school classmate Calliope Jenkins. Accused of murdering her infant son, Jenkins spent seven years in prison steadfastly declining to answer any questions about the disappearance and presumed death of her son. Fallows (white) tries to reconnect with three former classmate friends (black) to compare memories of Jenkins and research her story. In the process, she discovers the gulf (partially racial) that separates her memories of events from theirs. Fallows’s pursuit of Jenkins’s story becomes a rich, complex journey from self-deception to self-discovery.


What really captures my attention in Lippman’s books is that most of them are based on true stories. This particular one is in reference to the disappearance of a Baltimore woman’s son. The woman chose not to make a statement and in doing so spent seven years in jail for contempt of court.

I of course enjoyed the storyline of the main character Cassandra as she was an author.  Bookish characters always fascinate me and automatically seem to have an “in” with me.   I liked the idea that Cassandra wanted to write about a childhood friend acquaintance and was doing research to find out about Callie’s reason for going to jail rather than answer questions about her son.

What ensues seems to me like a long drawn out maze of happenings as Cassandra visits old friends and finds out that if they even know she is a writer, they are so not impressed. Somewhere along all of this I lost touch with the book and waited anxiously to see where it was all going and when would it get there.  In the end, I just didn’t like Cassandra very much.

I have read and enjoyed Laura Lippman before and know that many things could have contributed to my eventual lack of interest in this one, including the fact that I listened to it in my car on audio.  While I am a huge advocate for audio, I am well aware that at times audio is not the way to go as you can miss key points in a story that if reading, I would have back tracked through the pages to figure out what I missed.

I have heard wonderful things about Laura’s book, ‘What The Dead Know’ so I believe that will be my next Lippman adventure!

Amazon Rating

 

Book Journey’s 2010 reading map has been updated to include Life Sentences

Cover Story:  Hmmmm….. I guess I am not fond of it and do not see where it captures the heart of the story

I borrowed this audio from my local library

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (Trick or Treat reviews)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)20 Comments

Thank you to Kim at Sophisticated Dorkiness

who told me at BEA in May of this year

that this was a must read.

 

You may have heard of her as HeLa, and in some instances as started by the Minneapolis Tribune, Helen Lake.  She was Henrietta Lacks, a poor southern African-American farmer.  She lived a simple life, married her cousin and had several beautiful children.  At the age of 31 she was diagnosed with cervical cancer and the doctors of the “colored ward” of John Hopkins Hospital in the 1950’s, took samples of her cells as they did with all patients, for testing.  Henrietta’s cells were different.  They continues to grow in culture, the first cells to ever do that.  They were marked as HeLa, as it was custom to take the first letter of the patients first name as well as the first letter of the last name to identify the cells.  Nobody at that time knew how big a deal this sample was.

Henrietta died from her cancer on October 4th, 1951, now 60 years later, her cells continue to live all over the country.  These cells became vital in developing the Polio vaccination, discovering some of the secrets of cancer, AIDS research, in vitro fertilization, cloning, gene mapping and as such has saved countless lives. If you could pile all HeLa cells ever grown onto a scale, they’d weigh more than 50 million metric tons—as much as a hundred Empire State Buildings.

 

Henrietta’s family did not know about the cells for nearly 20 years after Henrietta’s death.  No one had ever told them about the tissue sample taken or the amazing results from the tissue that had now been bought and sold all over the world.  All of us have somehow benefited from these cells either by a vaccination or a pill we have taken.  The cells have now made billions of dollars for the drugs industry and Henrietta’s family never seen a dime.

 

Henrietta and her husband David "Day" Lacks

 

Trick or Treat?  Treat!

You may read the first paragraph about this book and think that Halloween is the perfect time to review this book.  Even as I wrote it I thought wow, this sounds like something right out of a horror movie…. living cells, never dying…. growing and growing all over the world. Yet, this is not fiction.  Henrietta did really live and is really the woman who changed science as we know it.  She never lived to know her contributions to the world, but as her family says, she would  be happy to know that her dying helped others to live.

Rebecca Skloot dialogues an amazing trip from her first hearing about HeLa and becoming fascinated about knowing more about the woman behind the cells.  As her fascination grows she takes her credit cards and student loans to fund her desire to learn more and in doing so meets the amazing family of Henrietta, including building a strong friendship with Henrietta’s daughter, Deborah.

Henrietta as a child

I find as time goes on I become more and more engaged in reading memoirs and non fiction.  I have developed a strong thirst for knowledge.  I started listening to this on audio about a month ago and as the book progressed I started asking people I knew if they had ever heard of Henrietta Lacks.

Nobody had.

I am so thankful I had the opportunity to experience this read and I would highly recommend it others.  The writing is engaging, I never found it to lull, and it left me with a strong knowledge of cells as well as Henrietta Lacks.  HBO is planning to make a movie about Henrietta Lacks and her cells.  I for one will be anxious to see it.

Amazon Review

 

Book Journey has updated the 2010 reading map to include The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Cover Story:  Very appropriate.  This is the picture of Henrietta Lacks that was found in text books and magazine articles

In May of this year, Henrietta's once unmarked grave received a headstone provided by Morehouse School Of Medicine
Related Articles

I purchased this audio at audible.com

The Island by Elin Hiderbrand (Trick Or treat Reviews)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)21 Comments

All is well in Birdie Cousins world.  Her eldest daughter Chess, is going to be getting married and Birdie is preparing every detail, down to the floating island in the pond behind their home so Chess can have her first dance with Michael.  It is a dream in the making.

Then, out of thin air, Chess calls off the wedding.  She will not explain what has happened or why the change of heart to anyone, including Michael.

Birdie has no idea what is going on with her daughter but in an attempt to support her she plans a two-week getaway to a family owned property on Tucker Island, off the coast of Nantucket.  In the midst of the the planning, tragedy hits again in another direction taking Chess into a spiral downward of despair and confusion and Birdie knows this is going to require a little more than herself to help bring all well again.  Calling out to her sister India, and Chess’s sister Tate, the four women embark on a month stay on the island.

What starts out looking like it is a time to support Chess and help her with whatever the internal struggles are, it becomes so much more.  For all the women on Tucker Island are in for life changing experiences that will test them to the very foundation of who they thought they were, and who they really are.

Trick or Treat?  Treat.

In the beginning of this audio I struggled with the over the top descriptions of each woman.  Birdie and India both in their later 50’s but incredibly beautiful, both rich, Birdie from her divorce and an ever generous ex husband (don’t even get me started on the $20,000 floating Island for Chess’s wedding) and India rich from her ex husband (death by suicide) who was a famous artist.  Both of the sisters Chess and Tate are incredible beautiful as well, thin and gorgeous with jobs that are both brilliant as well as keep them never in want of anything.

That said, I really did enjoy the book.    Once I got over the “o.k., I get it, they are all things wonderful” part of the audio, I really found I enjoyed the characters.  As the book went on, with the occasional flash oh how rich they were (less annoying as I listened on), I found I really liked Tate’s character.  In fact, as the story unfolded, I really liked them all and I liked how everything ended.

I would recommend this audio for your next road trip.  The storyline filled me with relaxing beach scenes, warm weather and the occasional subtle scent of sea air.

Amazon Rating

Book Journey has upgraded the 2010 Reading map to include The Island


Cover Story:  LOVE it.  This is a cover that I would pick up among 100’s of others just because it speaks to me.  It says summer, and uncertainty, and I am intrigued by both.

 

I received this audio for review from Hachette audio

The Postcard Killers by James Patterson (Trick or Treat Reviews)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)15 Comments

Jacob Kanon of the New York Police Department in Europe and while this may be an incredible place to be for viewing beautiful sights, that is not what has brought Jacob to this area that some would kill to see.  Instead, Jacob is looking at each museum, each tourist spot, and every “must see” as a potential opportunity to catch a killer.  A killer, who took his daughter’s life and have made the stakes of capturing this person or persons – the highest priority of Jacobs life.

There seems to be a pattern between Kimmy Kanon, Jacob’s daughters murders and the murder of young couples that have been happening in Paris, Frankfurt, Copenhagen and Stockholm.  Each murder is connected to a postcard that gives a hint to the next murder scene.

Kanon connects with local reporter Dessie Larsson, someone who has been receiving the postcards prior to the murders, and together they work to find a way to stop the crimes.

Trick or Treat?  Trick.

I have raved for the past 16 months about the treasured mysteries I have found in James Patterson’s audio books.  I have rated them as high quality in narrators, sound effects, and story lines as I RAVED about the Michael Bennett books (Step On A Crack, Run For Your Life, Worst Case) and I enjoyed The Murder Of King Tut as well as others.

However….

The Postcard Killers was not a great experience for me.  I struggled with the female narrators highly snooty like voice (I know it was the role she was playing but it never did become easy for me to hear) and even putting that aside, the story line was harsh, grotesque, and at the end – revolting.

I know everything I listen to is not going to be a win.  Now that I have finished this audio, I have to wonder why I hung in there for the entire read.  I felt it had potential and I liked the story line around the art work.  In the end it just did not work for me.


I will continue to listen to James Patterson’s audio because I have had way more successes than failures with the audio surrounding this authors works.

Book Journey has updated the 2010 reading map to include The Postcard Killers

Cover Story:  It’s good.  It reminds me of a Patterson like cover for some reason.

 

I received this audio for review from Hachette Book Group

A Fine White Dust by Cynthia Rylant

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)7 Comments

Pete is thirteen the year the Preacher Man comes to town.  He attends church and finds that while he is filled with God’s love, this is not the beliefs of his family or friends.    His parents do not share nor encourage their son’s convictions.   His best friend Rufus, is a confirmed atheist, and Pete loves how things have to be so black and white for Rufus.  If Rufus can not see it, then it is not real.

When the Preacher Man comes to town, Pete is overwhelmed with the emotions he brings out in him.   Pete feels this is God’s call in his life and he will do whatever the Preacher Man asks.  Even leave everything he has ever known and loved…

I first read about this book on Maw Books blog.  I liked the sound of it, and the soft feel to the review of a young boys struggles with faith and with friends, as well as God’s calling.

I listened to this on audio and loved the drawl of narrator Keith Nobbs, who gave me a beautiful picture of what Pete would look like at thirteen, as well as his small town, and his best friend.  The audio is quick and a little over two hours long, which was perfect for my drive back to Brainerd this weekend from Duluth Minnesota.

Pete is a likable character.  I liked his open heart, his fear of Hell, and his convictions to learn and experience all he can through the church he attends.   The lesson in the book that Pete deals with is a true lesson in faith, and what direction it comes from.  While there is a part in the book that Pete looks closely at his friendship with Rufus, Pete eventually comes through this admirably and I breathed a sigh of relief.

A Fine White Dust is a Newbery Honor books from 1987 and written for young adults.  It is a small sweet read of a young man’s faith, and I enjoyed it very much.

My Amazon Rating

Book Journey has updated the 2010 Map to include A Fine White Dust

While in North Carolina, be sure to check out the Coffee House Mystery site… well shoot – you don’t even need to be in North Carolina for this awesome experience!

Cover Story:  Yes!  Love it, it is so fitting to the read.

 

I borrowed this audio from my local library

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (Banned Book Week)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)26 Comments

The background story:   Fahrenheit 451 takes place in an unspecified future time (some dialogue places it after 1990) in a hedonisticanti-intellectual America that has completely abandoned self-control. This America is filled with lawlessness in the streets ranging from teenagers crashing cars into people to firemen at a station who set their ‘mechanical hound’ to hunt various animals by their scent for the simple and grotesque pleasure of watching them die. Anyone caught reading or possessing illegal books is, at the minimum, confined to a mental hospital while the books are burned by the firemen. Illegal books mainly include famous works of literature, such as Walt WhitmanWilliam Faulkner, as well as the Bible and all historical texts.

My synopsis:  The book opens with Fireman Guy Montag coming home after a long day at work.  As he gets close to home he meets his new neighbor Clarisse who is young and free spirited.  As they walk and talk Guy finds her talk strange… speaking of taking time to look at the grass and enjoy a summer.  yes, even after their brief encounter he can not get what she spoke of out of his head.

Once home he finds his wife laying on the bed having taken an entire bottle of sleeping pills.  When Montag calls for help a team comes and cleans her out as thought they were carpet cleaners.  Their cold regard to a human life starts Montag really thinking about the state of society and about why he does what he does.

Fireman in this futuristic read do not put out fires… they start them.  In fact in this world the fireman we all know, never existed.  Firemen always started fire.  And why?  Well to burn books of course.  Reading is BANNED and if you are caught with books they are all burned, many times your home too, and occasionally the home owner.  During one such raid, Montag catches site of a line in one the books as it is being burned, “Time has fallen asleep in the afternoon sunshine.”  This prompts Montag to steal a book…..

… and it’s not the first time….


This book should be the king of the banned books week.  Why?  Because it is actually a book about banning books.  It’s brilliant – and so is Bradbury who I have never read before.

Honestly, before I listened to this book (yup – audio…. while I mowed the lawn and when I would get ready for work in the morning…) I had no idea what it was about.  Well.. sure I thought it had to do with fire… but if I would have known this was a book about burning books.  I probably would have made this one  a priority long before now.

Books, according to the story do nothing but put ideas into people’s heads.  And really who needs free thinkers all willy nilly coming up with their own ideas?

I really was impressed by this reading and was surprised really how much I enjoyed the story line.  I have never been one for sci-fi or futuristic reads but have to make an exception in this case.  For as old as this book is (originally published as The Fireman in 1951), it is almost spooky how it speaks of censorship.

I really enjoyed this audio – if you remember I had one audio of this I gave up on due to the narrator.  Unfortunately that narrator was Ray Bradbury himself.  I hate to say it, but I could not understand him.  I sent that copy back tot he library and purchased a different narrator at audible.com, read by Christopher Hurt, this one was amazing.

It’s frightening to think that as book stores close, libraries fight to stay open and e books become more popular… that I picture my library becoming paper contraband… hiding my books in the basement under lock and key and the pretense of a storage room…


Why was Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury banned?

The banning of “Fahrenheit 451” Ray Bradbury’s 1953 book about the evils of book banning and censorship is one of those circular jokes that we see every once in a while. The initial complaint was that the words “hell” and “damn” appeared in it making it a corrupting force on society. Opponents then noted that one of the books burned was a Christian Bible and took the position that the author advocated burning Bibles (rather than the opposite that he was trying to show how bad things had become)

A more obvious reason seems to exist. One of the main themes of the story is that a government which tries to suppress freedom of expression should be opposed. In the early 50’s, when this book was written, this advocacy of opposition was seen as a bad thing by real world authoritarian groups (e.g. McCarthyism) that claimed to have all the answers.

Like the opposition to “1984”, the opposition to “Fahrenheit 451” seems to grow as the depicted society grows too similar to our own. One of these uncomfortable parallels is today’s increased use of entertainment in place of learning and culture. Ray Bradbury has stated that this dumbing down was one of the concerns he was trying to raise.

I purchased this copy  from audible.com


Harry Potter and The Order Of The Phoenix by JK Rowling (Banned Books Week)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)24 Comments

He who shall not be named has once again… oops…. scratch that….. I guess I am a little deep into the story line yet….

*shakes head*  Starts again….

Voldemort is once again causing a bit of destruction and mayhem in the wizarding world.  It is the fifth year at Hogwarts and Harry has emerged into full-blown adolescence, including a crush, rage, and questions about his future.  Dumbledore has taken to avoiding him at all costs and it seems to Harry that everyone has forgotten that he almost had died last year and had saved the school from yet another horrifying evil.

Then there is the new addition to the school compliments of the Ministry of Magic, Dolores Umbridge.  A short toad like of a woman who is scrutinizing everything going on in Hogwarts much like a child would do to an ant with a magnifying glass.  In no time at all she has Harry off the Quidich team … banned for life (there’s that dirty word banned again!) and in desperation the Griffindor Team puts Ron in as Keeper.

“Hem Hem”


Things are not so wonderful at the school as they had been in the past and Harry is really wondering what sort of future he is going to have if this keeps up….


I listened to this one on audio, which  haveI  been doing all year, and highly recommend the audio versions if you have not yet experienced Harry Potter that way.  Narrator Jim Dale is an experience in itself and you will not believe the many voices he uses for the different characters.  I swear Hagrid is the real Hagrid and when Dale does Delores my skin crawls just like it did when I read the books!

While listening to this audio what I really noticed that I had not before (during my many readings of this book) is that this really is the book where Harry comes to the realization that his father was not the hero that he had built him up to be in his mind.  Harry is introduced to some hard truths about his dad and has to learn that everyone has faults.

As I thought about Harry’s feelings about his dad I had to think that this was another great move on J K Rowling’s part.  I swear, the more I listen and or read the books, I find more things that impress me.  I thought about how easy it is to put someone on a pedestal when they have passed away…. how we forget the annoyances, and focus on the wonderfulness and what we miss.  J K shows Harry a side of James that not only gives us a glimpse at why Snape loathes Harry so….. but also a look at his true father….  a fifteen year old hot-shot kid who thought he was super cool and loved to show off for his friends.  This book really shows us a good  message about relationships and Harry comes to realize that while his dad was not the perfect man he had imagined, he was still a very good man.

If you have not taken the time to experience Harry Potter on Audio I highly (HIGHLY) recommend it.   This rich installment won Jim Dale a Guinness World Record for the most character voices in an audio book. The series has won the Audies Hall of Fame Award. Fifth in the series. “Dale’s exciting, nuanced performance wholly captures the story’s irrepressible humor and magic.”—Booklist

Why was Harry Potter and The Order Of The Phoenix by J K Rowling banned?

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, along with the rest of the Harry Potter series, has been attacked by several religious groups and banned in some countries because of accusations that the novels promote witchcraft. However, some Christian commentators have written that the book exemplifies important Christian viewpoints, including the power of self-sacrifice and the ways in which people’s decisions shape their personalities. Educators regard Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and its sequels as an important aid in improving literacy because of the books’ popularity.

In July 2002, the parents of a student in Cedarville, Arkansas, filed suit against the School Board’s decision to restrict access to the Harry Potter series.  The Board’s decision limiting the availability of the book only to students who received parental clearance came in response to a parent’s complaint that Rowling’s books promoted witchcraft and defiance of authority.

If only we could wave a magic wand and educate parents and school boards about the First Amendment.

I borrowed this audio from my wonderful local library


Men and Dogs by Katie Crouch (audio review)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)29 Comments


Hannah Legare finds herself back in her home town of Chareleston Harbor, South Carolina.  Her marriage is in a shambles and her business that once thrived is now looking at failing in the economy.  Taking time at home she starts to puzzle over the disappearance of her father that took place 20 years earlier.  She feels that there never was closure to this man who was her dad, and Hannah starts asking questions around town digging up old hurts and old relationships. As she searches for answers, she slowly begins to find herself.

Not this kind of men....

Not this kind of dog...

I had not read anything by Katie Crouch before but recall first becoming interested in her writing when I seen the book Girls In Trucks.  Another snappy title, and a fun cover but one I have yet to read.

I know going into this review I am going to struggle.  I listened to this on audio and I just found Hannah to be extremely unlikable.  Her problems in her marriage were brought on by her and her habit of falling in bed with other men.  She wined, she struggled with life, she was not a strong woman – and perhaps that is what bothered me most.  (I like strong women characters – I always have).

I thought we would find some sort of closure as I listened to this read but honestly I never felt it.  Hannah and her relationships with her family felt immature and I have to admit that for most of this audio I was just annoyed with this character.  I took a lot of time to write this review but my opinion has not changed, I just didn’t like it.

I have not read other reviews but they must be out there and I will gladly connect to your review if you have written one and I would love to hear if you had a better experience with this read.  The narrator was wonderful, and enjoyable, and I would still be interested in reading Girls In Trucks by this author.


I received this audio for review from Hachette Audio

eat the Cookies… buy the Shoes by Joyce Meyer

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)23 Comments

Discipline discipline discipline.  Structure is a way of life.  Make sure you hit the gym 5 times a week.  Do not splurge on yourself.  Never give in to desert and never ever fall for the gorgeous pair of shoes in the window.

In Joyce’s new book, eat the Cookies… buy the Shoes Joyce explains how we were not built for guilt.  Using biblical stories Joyce Meyer reminds us how God likes to celebrate, and while we shouldnt give in to our every whim… we certainly can celebrate and enjoy “cookies” that come our way.


Ok…. confession time.  I would like to think that what this book is telling me is go ahead Sheila…. eat ALL the cookies you want!

Or…. moderation…. shmoderation!   Get the shoes….. get all the shoes!

Ok, I am just being funny.  I really did enjoy this read because I came from that world that Joyce Meyer’s describes.  There was a time when I thought that I had to always be on my game… that I was never to falter and had to remain structured and disciplined at all times. What I found interesting is that is where Joyce once was as well, and like her – our worlds were bland.

Joyce in a light humorous manner explains in this book why it is ok to enjoy life and what is has to offer.  Moderation of course is the word, and making good choices, but God does want us to have fun…. and the sooner I learned that the better my life became all the way around.

If you woke up this morning with more body parts that don’t hurt than those that do, you are blessed.

If you have food, clothes, and a place to live, you are richer than 75% of the world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, or spare change at home, you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthiest people.

If you have never experienced the dangers of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of the five million people in the world.

If you can read this message, you are more blessed than two billion people in the world who can not read.

eat the Cookie… buy the Shoes page 100-101

I also had the opportunity from Hachette to review the audio version of this book.  The audio is read by Sandra McCollum, who is Joyce Meyer’s daughter.  While the audio is handy to listen to while driving, and I really like that…. I almost hate to say this,but the reading was not what I had hoped for.  Sandra’s voice felt to me like she was reading to a child and gave me the impression she was always talking down to the listener.  I am hopeful that is just my opinion.  I was unable to finish the audio for that reason.

Overall – the message in the book/audio is an easy one to follow with gentle reminders of how we can live out our lives fully as God had planned being able to be who we are He created us.  I found it enjoyable and refreshing.

I received both the book and audio from Hachette Books