Audio – Page 2 – Book Journey

in a dark, dark wood by ruth ware

Published on February 7, 2016February 7, 2016 by Sheila (Book Journey)8 Comments

Lenora ( goes by Nora) is a crime fiction writer. She has found that as the years go on she is quite content to stick to the comforts of home surrounded by all that she loves , typing out stories and meeting deadlines for her publisher. When an invitation arrives from an old friend to join in a pre-marriage celebration at a secluded home in the woods, Nora is hesitant yet feels the pull to perhaps reconnect. Many invites went out but in the end it is six people who make the celebration weekend.

48 hours later Nora wakes up in the hospital with no recollection of how she got there or what had happened. All she knows is that she has a sickening feeling that someone she knows is dead and with a police officer outside her hospital room she has a feeling that whatever happened… somehow she is involved.

Here Author Ruth Ware, explains the book:

With a title like that how could I refuse? In A Dark, Dark Wood drew me in by its synopsis, despite the comparison to Girl On The Train (not a fan). I liked the idea of old friends gathering together and a mystery to be solved…. felt a little like an 80’s thriller!

The book is a fast read/listen but a good one. Nothing felt dragged out, the book moved at a nice pace throughout the story with just enough of a dangle of the mystery throughout the story line to keep you guessing. In the end my guess of the “who did it” was wrong…. and I like it that way.

I listened to this one on audio, Imogen Church narrated and while she is a new narrator to me, I found that I liked how she mastered her way through the multitude of dialogue between the six characters.

Recommended on audio, but I think this one will read well too.

Audible Audio Edition
Listening Length: 9 hours and 34 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Audible.com Release Date: August 4, 2015
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Gallery/Scout Press; Later printing edition (August 4, 2015)

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Published on January 25, 2016January 25, 2016 by Sheila (Book Journey)6 Comments

Simon Snow is The Chosen One.

*Groan*

He, in his opinion, is the absolute worst choice for such a title. He can not keep the spells straight and half the time his wand doesn’t even work. His roommate Baz (who Simon is pretty sure is a vampire) avoids Simon like the plague, and his girlfriend is on the verge of being done with him and quite honestly Simon doesn’t blame her. Relationships are weird and he never knows what he is supposed to do. And now…. it seems that he has been chosen… or drew the short straw… to help solve a murder.

Seriously? Why can’t he just have a normal life?

I was drawn to Carry On because of a blurb I read that said Harry Potter fans were going to flip for this one. I am a pretty easy sell if you tell me a book is going to be like Harry Potter. For the record… it wasn’t- not really, and honestly nothing ever has come close to HP for me so it’s not a big disappointment. There were similarities to the Potter books that I thought were a little too close to a brilliant idea already taken. For example, Simon, like Harry, was an orphan. And Simon, like Harry was considered The Chosen One. There is also a creepy monster like character that had some of the similarities of a Dementor (see Potter books).

That said, Rainbow Rowell does carry off an interesting unique read that while it may have used the Harry Potter books as a jumping off point…. the book then takes it’s own direction. I don’t want to give anything away but I can say that RainbowRowell likes to take her characters in directions you may not expect. Simon surprised me. The book surprised me.

I listened to Carry On on audio and the audio music throughout the listen (don’t worry – it is not continuous or annoying) was brilliant and exciting. I enjoyed the narration very much, even enjoyed hearing some of the wording that is often used through out the Harry Potter books…. the accent brought me back.

I have to agree that Harry Potter fans will find a little dose of happiness in this book.

Audible Audio Edition
Listening Length: 13 hours and 42 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Audible.com Release Date: October 6, 2015

Hardcover: 528 pages
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin (October 6, 2015)

The Residence by Kate Andersen Brower (BEST of 2015)

Published on November 24, 2015March 5, 2016 by Sheila (Book Journey)9 Comments

We all see the First Families as they go about what they do on TV. Speeches and events, there to celebrate triumphs and stand tall when the world has been shaken to it’s core…

The Residence gives us a peek into what we do not see. Told from the point of views of those who have worked in the White House, maids, cooks, butlers, florists, doormen and more share their stories of what it is like to work for the First Family.

Who makes their own bed in the morning, or insists on monitoring every meal, who watched personal expenses closely, and who frivolously needed fresh flowers in every room daily. What have these people seen through the years of working for the Presidents and their families? What stories will warm your heart and which ones will make you sad or shocked?

I absolutely devoured this book. I listened to it on audio and so enjoyed the narration by Karen White. Karen hit the ball out of the narration park! Beautifully spoken, each story was so interesting. Author Kate Andersen Brower shares the stories of those who spoke to her about their time working in the White House. Everything from the Kennedy Assassination and who stood alongside Jackie Kennedy as she came back home that evening still wearing the blood stained dress to Nixon’s resignation and how the Clinton household functioned during his impeachment. This book is a side to the stories you have never heard before, quite literally an inside scoop.

While one may think this may read like tabloid tell all, it does not. The Residence is a tasteful close up on the First families in good time and in bad. I learned so much while listening to this book. Highly recommended.

Audible Audio Edition
Listening Length: 10 hours and 16 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Harper Audio
Audible.com Release Date: April 7, 2015

After You by Jo Jo Moyes

Published on October 20, 2015October 20, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)14 Comments

*Note: Sequel to Me Before You

When Louisa Clark had to say good bye to Will Trayner… her life changed forever. After all, how does one return to a life that no linger feels satisfying? Where the air is almost un-breathable? For three years Louisa has gone through the motions of creating a pretty much solitude life.

When a freak accident causes Louisa to move back in with her parents she feels what little control she was clinging to slip away. As she heals, Louisa knows things need to change. After promising her dad to attend the Moving On support group, Louisa meets Sam, a paramedic who’s very job seems to lay between life and death. As Louisa becomes more comfortable sharing in the group, she wonders if it is possible to have feelings for someone else.

Then, a young girl comes to Louisa’s home one day – and her very existence turns everything upside down once again.

“You’re going to feel uncomfortable in your new world for a bit. But I hope you feel a bit exhilarated too. Live boldly. Push yourself. Don’t settle. Just live well. Just live. Love, Will.”

When my book club read Me Before You in February of 2014, it lead to quite an interesting discussion and strong opinions on both sides of the story. In a nutshell, while we didn’t overall like everything about the book – we did enjoy what the book brought to the table.

In most reads that leave an ending somewhat open, we, as readers are given the liberty to decide what happened next to our beloved characters…. occasionally… we will be lucky enough to have the author chime in on what did happen… and in this case that is what we are allowed to discover in After You.

When I first heard that there would be this follow up book I was so excited. I wondered where Louisa would wind up and how she would go on with her life now having had the incredible experience she just had. In this sense, Author Jo Jo Moyes does not disappoint. In fact, we are taken on yet another roller coaster ride as Moyes churns out events that are not the norm- and for that I am grateful.

As a follow up read, After You is satisfying. I did not find it to be the discussion worthy journey that Me Before You was; and I do not believe I will recommend this to our book club to read and discuss together, however –

if you have read Me Before You and enjoyed it, After You is like an after dinner mint… just a little something nice to complete the meal.

I enjoyed After You on audio and found narrator Anna Acton to be the perfect voice for such a listen.

Audible Audio Edition
Listening Length: 11 hours and 6 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Audible.com Release Date: September 29, 2015

WILD by Cheryl Strayed

Published on August 27, 2015August 27, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)24 Comments

After Cheryl’s mother was diagnosed with cancer at a young age and lost her life to it, Cheryl could not seem to escape the spiraling downward pull of her own life. Her marriage was a loss, her father non-existent…

Four years later with nothing really changing Cheryl makes a decision. With no prior training; just a stubbornness to succeed at something, she decides to hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State. And do it alone.

What happens… well that is the story of WILD.

This is a book that I would say for me has been a bucket list book. I have always been fascinated by those who go out on a pilgrimage to find themselves. For myself, my own hard life, I have felt the pull to do something like this… now, that pull is even stronger.

I am not sure what took me so long to get to this book. I have had it on the shelf for years. When the movie was released I put it on my radar to read soon and then, more recently, downloaded the audio book with narration by Bernadette Dunne.

From this book I received many things I had hoped to…. I found out that it is possible to do such a hike without years of training (maybe not recommended – but certainly doable). I learned from Cheryl’s own mistakes of what one should pack, what is a necessity and what is not. I enjoyed how the other hikers she met along the way (well.. most of them), were like kindred spirits and they bonded together, helping one another – building friendships.

What I didn’t need to know….

As in pretty much any non fiction I read, memoirs, etc… I do not care to know about ones sexual escapades. I am truly 100% not interested and am still a little baffled why these details are included in such reads. Occasionally in some books there is a point to such discussion.. this was not one of those books. I have to wonder if it is a draw for some readers and maybe I am the minority – but really… I am a believer in TMI. Yay for Cheryl for being prepared? Yay for her willingness to be open and ready for anything? I don’t get the appeal.

Overall – yes I am glad I read the book. I enjoyed the narration very much and thought that it was the perfect voice for Cheryl. Other than what I mentioned above, I really enjoyed Cheryl’s story and still am searching in my own way for such a pilgrimage for myself… maybe not the time commitment that she put in, but I would love to some day dedicate a month to six weeks for something like this. Thank you to Cheryl for showing that a woman can go out and succeed in such an adventure and for sharing the realities of how this changed her life.

Audible Audio Edition
Listening Length: 13 hours and 6 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Random House Audio
Audible.com Release Date: March 20, 2012

The Rumor by Elin Hilderbrand

Published on August 21, 2015August 21, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)24 Comments

Longing for a good summer read centered around beautiful Nantucket, author Elin Hinderbrand is an excellent “go to” choice for just such a read. ~ Sheila

When Grace Pancik sets her mind on something there is really no stopping her. When Grace decides that she wants the most beautiful gardens in all of Nantucket, she hires the easy on the eyes Benton to be her guide.

When Madeline King, Grace’s best friend, struggles with writers block with an ever pressing deadline… she panics and reaches for a story line she knows that she should not be telling, but what could it hurt? And who would know?

When Eddie, Grace’s’ husband gets in over his head in a real estate windfall gone bad, he makes some hard and most definitely not legal choices… but with Madeline King insisting on her money back that she and her husband gave Eddie in trust and is constantly calling threateningly a lawsuit, and the bills stacking up around him… what is a guy to do?

Grace’s hanging out almost daily with the gardener.

Madeline is writing a steamy tell all… but what is her inspiration?

Eddie is having secret conversations with Madeline.

Grace’s twin teenage daughters are up to their own schemes while their parents are so preoccupied.

Madeline rents a studio apartment.

and that is how Rumors get started….

I have enjoyed Elin Hilderbrand in the past and The Rumor was no exception. Author Elin Hilderbrand once again creates an easy and engaging summer read that is just plain fun. I enjoyed each of the story lines in the book and how easily one can misinterpret what is really happening… as well as how often what we think could not possibly be true – actually is.

Narrated by Kathleen McInerney (who also occasionally narrates for Mary Kay Andrews), the book on audio flowed well. I found myself engaged in what would happen next.

Definitely a go to author for me, I recommend Hilderbrand’s books for those who love a good summery read based on the island of Nantucket.. where truly… anything can and will happen.

Audible Audio Edition
Listening Length: 10 hours and 48 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Audible.com Release Date: June 16, 2015

Fever by Mary Beth Keane

Published on July 28, 2015July 28, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)8 Comments

The amazing story behind “Typhoid Mary”, truly had no idea. ~Sheila

Mary Mallon was 15 years old when she left Ireland to come to New York. Mary ha a stubborn streak and she knew what she wanted and how to get it. She worked hard laboring in kitchens learning skills as a cook until she became quite good. Soon she found her sought after by New York’s elite families wanting the hard-working Mary with the skills of a chef to be theirs exclusively.

Then the families of those Mary cooked for began to get sick. Some even died. A particular keen-eyed Medical Engineer zoned in on Mary as being the common denominator. He called this out openly, saying Mary was a “asymptomatic carrier” of Typhoid Fever.

For three years Mary was kept in isolation, away from those she loved and from anything to do with other people.

This is her story.

We have probably all heard at one point or another about “Typhoid Mary”. At least in name. For myself, that is all I knew. When I discovered this book Fever on audio I felt this would be an opportunity to learn more of this woman. I am glad I did. Narrated by Candace Thaxton, Fever was an interesting listen about Mary Mallon’s life. I enjoyed learning of her tough exterior. She was a strong woman who carried herself well even through the hard years.

Learning more of her story was very interesting. I would recommend this one in either book or audio format, I feel both will come off well.

Audible Audio Edition
Listening Length: 9 hours and 53 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Audible.com Release Date: March 12, 2013

Morning Meanderings… Dog Surgery and Audio Anticipation (a CRAZY mix)

Published on July 2, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)24 Comments

Good morning! Thursday and I imagine many of you are making your plans (if you have not already started) for the big 4th of July weekend!

I mentioned yesterday I was taking Mater to the vet. He was running a fever and acting like Eeyore walking slowly around with this head down. No energy. Turns out he had a lymph node infection in his shoulder and it had to be cut open to drain (yes… you may want to put down your breakfast for a few minutes). They had him in the office for the day but he is home now, doing well and my job is to place a warm wash cloth over the would area several times a day to keep it open so it can drain. Due to this, there was no strawberry picking as originally planned.

Dog and owner are doing well this morning.

I did want to talk about audio. June as you know was audio month and I did not have my normal posts on how awesome audio is and why you all (yes you too Laurel! 😉 ) should give it a try. However… this little gem on info from Audible.com crossed my path in email format yesterday and I can not help but share some highly anticipated audio coming in July.

Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee. Harper Lee!!!! Yes the author of To KIll A Mockingbird brings in this long anticipated jewel. Narrated by…. wait for it… wait for it…. Reese Witherspoon! I am seriously curious about this one. Originally written in the mid-1950s, Go Set a Watchman was the novel Harper Lee first submitted to her publishers before To Kill a Mockingbird. Assumed to have been lost, the manuscript was discovered in late 2014. Release date 7/14/15

Armada by Ernest Cline (author of one of my all time favorite audio books Ready Player One). I have gushed about this one before. Another gamer type book, save the world, blah blah blah but also narrated by the great Wil Wheaton who is an EXCELLENT narrator. Also release 7/14/15. Can not wait!!!

Circling The Sun by Paula McLain, author of the Paris Wife. This one is about the British born Kenyan Aviator Beryl Markham, the first woman to successfully cross the Atlantic solo from east to west. There is lot more to Beryl than meets the eye, so venture in to this historical treasure. Released 7/28/15

Dexter Is Dead. I never followed the whole “Dexter ” hype. My son Brad said it was a crazy good series but I don’t think it is for me. Anyhoo… Dexter is arrested on charges of murder. He has lost everything – including his wife, his kids, and the loyalty of his sister. Now completely alone, Dexter faces a murder charge (for a crime, ironically, he did not actually commit. Written and narrated by Jeff Lindsay this is probably one to listen to if you are a fan of the series. Release date 7/7/15

Bradstreet Gate catches my eye. Georgia, Charlie, and Alice each arrive at Harvard with visions of what the future will hold. Then, just before graduation, a classmate is found murdered on campus, they find themselves facing a cruel and unanticipated new reality. Moreover, a professor who has loomed large in their lives is suspected of the crime. Though his guilt or innocence remains uncertain, the unsettling questions raised by the case force the three friends to take a deeper look at their tangled relationship. Sounds good to me! Release date is 7/7/15

There are more on the list that you of course can check out for yourself. For new audible users, your first audio book is free so take a peek if you have not tried audible before. I have used it for three years and love it. The audio downloads right to my phone and I have it everywhere I go. I also like that if I start listening to something I do not enjoy, I can return it to them and they give me my credit back to choose something else.

Today should be a fairly quiet day. I am running to town this morning to get a few errands done and then working around the house today on a mailing I am working on and the monthly newsletter for the Friends Of The Brainerd Public Library. I may have a coffee date this morning this will be nice as it is a lovely day to also sit on the deck.

Notes To Boys: And Other Things I Shouldn’t Share In Public by Pamela Ribon

Published on July 1, 2015July 1, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)3 Comments

Notes To Boys is a memoir of the awkward (occasionally cringe worthy) letters that best-selling author and screen writer Pam Ribon wrote to boys when she was growing up…. some sent (she had a tendency to always make a copy), some not sent… and some she hopes she didn’t send but has a weird feeling that she probably did.

Growing up in a small town in Texas and the internet and cell phones still a long way off, Pam spent time writing letters, LONG deep, and teen angst letters that now – years later she share. Pam laughs at herself, filling in the gaps behind the letters, and adds laugh out loud commentary as she questions this younger version of herself’s motives.

Now married with a child, Pam finds “Young Pam” to be at times a little sad, but mostly a strong boy crazy gal struggling to find who she is and who she will be.

To give my thoughts on this particular audio book I think I need to break it down.

Why I listened to this audiobook: I enjoy memoirs that are read by the author. While I admit I had not heard of Pam Ribon (remember at times I do feel like I live under a rock), I thought the synopsis of this one sounded interesting. After listening to the audible sample, I enjoyed Pam’s fast talking fun way of narrating and her occasional cracking herself up.

What I liked: Pam is a fast talking funny gal. Impressively so… how she doesn’t stumble on her words sometimes is a wonder. Her stories in most cases are pretty funny. Tiny warning: occasionally a bit raunchy. I enjoyed that to “protect the innocent” each of the boys she wrote about had an alias such as “Holly Hunter Boy” (the boy she watched Broadcast News with) and “Super Mario Brothers Boy.” She has a quick wit and I liked how she would rabbit trail while reading but never to the point that I was lost.

What I didn’t like: While there are a couple of moments in the book/audio where Pam shares some deeply personal and painful past happenings, it almost doesn’t fit with this style of book. Her funny moments are so over the top funny that when she switches gears to share something serious it is like a record scratching. In most cases this works in memoirs and would have if the letters were not so funny and her narration is so over the top fun that the sad parts were a bit “oh… OH… she is serious here.” I also have to mention the volume of her narration. At times Pam becomes very loud even shouting and for me, at one point I was listening in the living room after Hubby had gone to bed and I had to keep adjusting the volume lower for when she became loud and turn it up when she spoke softly. The same thing happened when I was mowing the lawn and had ear buds in – the volume had to be adjusted so I didn’t hurt my ears when she shouted (and she really shouts!)

Overall: Pam does do a great job at narration and most of the letters are quite funny. I had to imagine what kind of girl writes long letters to boys and makes copies? Then I reminded myself that I am the girl who wrote poetry about EVERYTHING (boys included and one about socks too..and placed my poems in photo albums. (Remember old school photo albums with that sticky top layer? Yes – those.) I recommend giving the audio sample a listen. I think in book format this would come off well, however if this sounds like your kind of listen, even with the volume adjustments, this is a unique listen that reminded me a bit of Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson.

Audible Audio Edition
Listening Length: 6 hours and 17 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Rare Bird Books
Audible.com Release Date: June 18, 2015

The Astronaut Wives Club (A True Story) by Lily Koppel

Published on June 28, 2015June 27, 2015 by Sheila (Book Journey)27 Comments

Thank you to my friend Gail for recommending this one to me! ~Sheila

1959. We have all heard of the astronauts that have graced our history books… the first man in space, the first on the moon, those who followed, those… who did not make it.

Starting with project Mercury behind each of these original 7 men were 7 women who suddenly found themselves the center of the world’s attention. What did they eat for breakfast? How did they raise their children? What were their greatest fears? Their greatest triumphs? It was all a bit much to be under this constant magnifying glass by NASA as well as the public. These wives were expected to be perfect, look perfect. After all… they were representing America.

Some of them thrived in the lime light, other worked hard to keep the details of their marriage under wraps. The world expected nothing but perfection. This led to the women creating the Astronaut’s Wives Club. Together the women supported one another as each man went into space. They were their, first and foremost, when as it happened, that the husband did not come back.

The wives from Project Mercury, The Kennedy Years, Gemini Missions, and finally the Apollo program were women who didn’t sign up for this assignment but they received it any way. Some eventually divorced, and one, can not handle the great price her husband paid. All….

had a story to tell.

This audio book was amazing. It was so interesting to learn about the women behind the names we know. If you think it is hard to be shot into space… imagine being the wife left back here on earth trying to hold it together while cameras and reporters are everywhere (even in your house) can capture your every emotion.

I really enjoyed listening to this in audio format. Narrator Orlagh Cassidy is a new narrator to me and perfect for this book. In fact many times I checked the case to read her name trying to submit it to memory so I can look up what else she narrates. (For the record, it looks like she narrates many David Baldachi books). Her smooth voice flowed through this listen, never a flaw.

I highly recommend this book or audio to those who enjoy non fiction history. The book is like reading a fiction novel, it is not a difficult read at all and I enjoy spending time with these amazing women.