Tag: Audio

When Dempsey Jo Killebrew gets caught up in a political scandal brought on by her kiniving boss, she is left suddenly unemployed, and under investigation as a possible accomplice.  Feeling the heat and having a strong desire “to get out of dodge”, she accepts an offer from her father to help restore the old family home he had recently inherited in Guthrie Georgia.  The home, known as Birdsong, is a family treasure, a Victorian Mansion that just needs a little love is what Dempsey is told… and considering the options… it sounds like a pretty sweet deal.

When Dempsey arrives in Georgia at the address her father had given her, she can not believe her eyes.  Birdsong may have been quite the home back in its day…. but “Bird poop” is more what it looks like now.  Painted a color that can only be described as “Pepto Bismo pink, windows that have been duct taped and a yard that is overgrown with wild shrubs and grass up to her waist… oh and lets not forget the inside where not only is everything worn out, musty and dated – but that would also describe the crotchety elderly woman squatter who is somehow a relation and says she is not moving out.  EVER.

Tips and Finds from Mary Kay Andrews

Top Five Renovating Tips

1. An old house needs old doors, hardware and fixtures. Nothing says “new and cheap” faster than a flimsy hollow-core door and bright gold repro brass hardware. Look for solid wood doors and wood frame windows at salvage yards and antique markets. And don’t forget to check the “building materials” category on Craigslist. I got all the doors for my beach house off Craigslist–for $5 apiece. Vintage hardware can frequently be found at flea markets, or check online sources like eBay.
2. Vintage light fixtures give a great look–but be sure you factor in the cost of re-wiring them, and finding good-looking shades. Nothing gives a lamp that “granny” look faster than a dingy yellow shade.
3. Before you invest in antique cast-iron claw-foot tubs or sinks, make sure they have proper fittings. Measure drains and faucet spreads and make sure you can find new ones that will fit and function properly. Antique toilets are generally a bad idea–most local codes require low-flow toilets for water conservation.
4. Before re-wiring a house, put together a furniture floor plan. You don’t want a heat register under the living room sofa, but you will want outlets on either side of the bed for reading lamps, and for any area that might be used as an office you’ll want plenty of grounded plugs. And how about that flat-screen television your husband wants? Plan now for cable locations.
5. Be flexible. A great fireplace surround could become a headboard, as could an old paneled door–turned sideways. And that leaded glass window that had to be removed in the remodel? Why not fit it with mirrors and a hinge and make it into a bathroom medicine cabinet?

Top Five Best Junking Finds

1. Pair of barrel-back armchairs–$30 at an estate sale. They were covered in gold embossed vinyl when I found ‘em. But with the legs stained ebony, and a gorgeous blue Ralph Lauren fabric reupholstery, they’re perfect by my fireplace.
2. Set of eight antique Wedgewood black and cream transferware plates–$30 at an estate sale. The seller’s mother used some of them for cat dishes, others as an ashtray!
3. Vintage landscape oil painting, Tuscany maybe? Or Provence? Who cares! Bought at a “divorce sale”–the ex-husband sold this beautiful painting for $50 because it had belonged to his ex-wife. I spent a small fortune framing it, but it’s the basis for a collection of treasured landscape paintings.
4. Wicker settee, Salvation Army find for $25. I’d walked to the store, and had to hoof it back home in a hurry for money and my car.
5. Faux alligator train case–found at a yard sale. When I asked the seller if she’d do better on the price, she replied that she’d give it to me for free–if I could figure out how to open it. Since it had a combination lock like the one on my high school graduation luggage, I twirled the dial to 0-0-0–because I never figured out how to change mine–and sure enough, the lock popped open. Score!

The Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews is an over all sweet read.  Dempsey is not a ditzy woman but instead a street smart gal that is used to designer jeans and expensive footwear.   Not only is she surprised by the down home feel of Guthrie where Carharts are the comfort clothes of choice by men and women alike – but Guthrie is surprised by this petite chick who thinks she is going to single handedly fix up the mess that was is Birdsong.

I enjoyed listening to this on audio, it reminded me a bit of Hope Floats and I could picture Sandra Bullock in the part of Dempsey.  I look forward to trying other reads from Mary Kay Andrews. 

Amazon Rating

Goodreads Review

Borrowed from my super awesome library

After starting a relationship with her guardian angel, the mysterious Patch (Hush Hush), Nora has started to think things could not get better.  After all – Patch is great looking, dark, mysterious, gorgeous… and he was hers.  Yet, after a great day at the beach, Nora had said she loved him and then things went down hill quickly. 

First of all… not only did Patch not return the sentiment, he also takes off.  AND not only does he take off but he goes to Marcie Millar’s home.  MARCIE.  Nora’s nemesis.  When confronted about this, Patch seems aloof and avoids her questions.  What happened to their magical relationship?

*hmmmph!* 

Angels….

It was January 2010 when I read Hush Hush, the first book in this trilogy (see note on bottom) and GUSHED about the story.  I loved the mystery behind Patch and what he stood for… and while Nora annoyed me a bit (think Bella from the Twilight series…) it was still a worthy read/listen.

Fast forward to this second book, Crescendo.  When I seen the audio at my library I was excited to see where this one would go.  Patch was back still brooding and mysterious, and Nora…. well Nora was more annoying then the first book… I think maybe this is because I really like reading about strong female characters and ditzy ones tend to annoy me.  Maybe I need to remember that Nora is a teen and in love and if I think about it… I guess I was a bit like Nora when I was that age…. so maybe, I am just irritated with myself…. 😛

The audio is good, this one really centers around someone known as “The Black Hand” and Nora’s fathers death, which I do not recall being a big point (if a point at all) in Hush Hush. 

In the end I enjoyed it, but not as much as I enjoyed Hush Hush.  I have however heard that Silence (the third in the series) is fantastic and so I am continuing on.  Silence was released in October of 2011, so for those starting the series, all books are ready to read straight through. 

*AND – recently I hear there will be a fourth book…. called Finale.  We will be watching for that in Fall 2012.

I think this series may appeal to the 12 – 18 year old readers more than me…. Patch is truly SSSQQQQUUUUEEEE worthy and I think that age group would appreciate Nora more. 

Amazon Rating

Goodreads Review

Borrowed from my AWESOME local library

In 1992 Christopher McCandless, a top student of the University of Atlanta, known to be strong-willed, idealistic, and an exceptional athlete, walked away from his family never to be seen by them again.  It was soon to be discovered that Christopher had given away his entire savings of $24,000 to a hunger charity.  Later yet, his beloved car was found abandoned with a note on it basically saying “finders… keepers.  It’s yours.”

Four months later he was found dead inside an old bus in the Alaska wilderness.

What would cause a young man with such a bright future, a good home, family and friends who loved him, to shut everyone out without a reason why?

His diary which was found at a remote camp site tell a tale that is so unbelievable – it has to be true.  Chris (who changed his name to Alex at this time) writes of odd jobs he found along the way to earn enough to get by, the people he met, and continued to connect with, the loss of his car, no food for days, and eventually moving into the Alaskan wilderness believing he would live off the land – catch and kill what he needed to eat to survive.

Into the Wild has been a book that has interested me since I first heard about it.  Christopher McCandless was someone I wanted to know more about.  I could imagine the pain of a family not knowing where there son was, and I was curious about a boy just graduated who could walk away from his family and not look back.  Not so much as a note to say “I am ok”.

I found Chris’ story – as told from what he left in a dairy of his journeys to be one that was both sad and fascinating at the same time.  I was sad for his family and could not imagine what it felt like to not know where there son was… and I was fascinated at the decisions Chris made along the way… for a while it seemed like quite the adventure.

Even after listening to this book on audio, I am still left with questions.  Did Chris have a death wish?  He had not packed properly for his journey, not even having a compass.  And no one knew where he was.  No one.  Or was Chris just a boy with an over inflated idea of himself and his knowledge to survive away from people and the comforts of home.  He had several books on identifying edible plants after all…. 

The world will never know… but I like to believe the latter. 

An audio that astounded me.  I was held to listening to it long after I should have been running my errands, or moving on to another project.  It is a rare audio that stops me to just sit and listen… and that is what I did.

Amazon Rating

Goodreads Review

I purchased this audio from audible.com

The third and final book in Susan Beth Pfeffer’s trilogy, this world we live in brilliantly pulls everything from the first two books together.  In Life As We Knew It, Miranda and her family struggle to survive after the moon is knocked closer to the earth, at the exact same time in The Dead And The Gone , Alex and his sisters in another part of the world fear for their parents well-being as they battle to find food and turn to unthinkable deeds to stay together and stay alive.

Now, it has been a year since the meteor collided with the moon and destroyed the earths sense of climate balance.  Miranda and her brothers now search abandoned homes for any items that could be useful… batteries, blankets, clothing, tools, and if they are lucky… a little food. 

And things only escalate when Miranda’s dad shows up the scene with his new wife and baby as well as three strangers.  Now there are that many more mouths to feed… and that many more personalities all residing under the same roof with nowhere to go to get a little space from one another.  And the mysterious teenage boy that arrived with Miranda’s dad is stirring some feelings within her that she can not believe she is capable of under these dire circumstances.

Thanks to a comment from Angie on my The Dead And The Gone post, I suddenly realized I never wrote or posted a review for this third book in the series.  A quick blog search confirmed that.  I had listened to the audio in December and somehow…. just… well…

forgot to review it.  😯

While I LOVE LOVED the first book in this trilogy, and LOVED the second book, this one seemed to have lost its steam along the way of two story lines coming together.  While it was still an enjoyable read listen, I found myself not as engaged as the plot unfolded… 

Let me try to explain… what was exciting and scary in the first two books, was not so much in the third.  At this point it just felt like every day living in this new life of little food, irritations with one another, and the occasional adventure outside the walls of the fort like house.  I really found myself wondering where it was all going to go and then it just never seemed to get there.  In fact the way it did all end was open enough for me to wonder – was this a trilogy?  Or is there going to be a fourth book to tie this up better?

Obviously its hard to find a happy ending to a post apocalyptic world, but I did expect something to ignite an emotion in me other than confusion.  On the other hand, I was invested enough in the story from the two previous reads that if Susan Beth Pfeffer did come up with a fourth book, I would probably pick it up as I am still curious as to where this is all going.  In that way, I guess I hope where the book left off is not the end, not because it was so incredible I want more, but because it is so open I feel the story is unfinished. 

Susan Beth Pfeffer writes interesting and real characters and has a knack for creating a world that feels real enough to have me thinking of the “what if’s”.

Amazon Rating

Goodreads Review

I rented this audio from my local library

Rees Dolly comes from a life of pure poverty.  At age 17 she struggles to take care pf herself, her two brothers, and her sickly mother.  Her father, a meth addict is constantly out of the picture and dealing with the law.  When Rees learns that her father has skipped out on bail AND that he had used the family home for his bond, she embarks out on her own to find him and bring him to his court date to save the family from becoming homeless. 

Her journey is not one of ease as the terrain of the Ozarks is rough and the relatives she meets along the way just as unpredictable as the land. 

I read many thoughts on Winter’s Bone in the last couple of years.  It was always in the back burner of my mind that this would some day be a book I would like to try.

When I recently found it on audible.com I was thrilled that I could try it on audio.  My results from this listen are not as raving as other reviews I have read.

First, let me say – it may have been the fact that I listened to it on audio.  As much as I LOVE audio, occasionally I find one that may have worked better in book format for me.  I think this may be one of those times.

I found myself lost in the Ozarks much of the book.  I had trouble following the different routes that Rees was taking along the way, the people she met, and ultimately her discovery.

Honestly…. I think it was me.

I will watch the movie now that I have experienced the audio.  I still think this has a lot of potential and I don’t think I connected well, but feel I missed something early on that left me baffled the rest of the time.  A wonderful review of this book can be found at Linus’ Blanket.  This is one of the reviews I had read that made me want to read this as well.

Fun Fact:  Just as I was getting ready to post this review I took a second look at the actress who plays Rees in the movie.  After a fast search on Google, I discovered that the actresses name is Jennifer Lawrence, and as per my suspicions… she is also the actress who is playing Katniss in the Hunger Games movie.

I purchased this audio from audible.com

Steve Martin.  Probably a household name, if not for his stand up comedy act, then for his many movies through the years:  The Jerk, Three Amigo’s, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, Pink Panther, Cheaper By The Dozen, It’s Complicated, and Father Of The Bride (my fav!) just to name a few that I am aware of. 

At age 10, Steve Martin got his start selling guidebooks at the newly opened Disneyland. In the years that followed, he worked in Disney’s magic shop, print shop, and theater, and developed his own magic/comedy act. By age 20,  he was performing a dozen times a week, most often at the Disney rival, Knott’s Berry Farm.

As time went on, Steve found himself being hired in clubs to do his magic act and stand up comedy and for many years these night clubs were close to having no patrons come see his show, or in one case, a group of Japanese salesmen who did not speak any english. 

When Steve did become a big name – it was fast and it was furious and taught Steve not only about the business of acting – but much about himself as well.

I remember in about 8th or 9th grade I became  fan of Steve Martin.  I had his comedy act on a record (20 somethings and younger ask your parents what this is…) and my friends would come over and laugh ourselves silly while listening to it.  I remember it was the first record (that word again) that I was allowed to have that had any sort of mild foul language in it and I thought it was fantastic.

The funny thing is that until I listened to this audio, I have no idea how old Steve Martin must have been when I was listening to him in the 80’s.  I discovered the year I was born…. he was 21.  That would put him probably in his mid 30’s by the time I started listening to him and thinking he was funny.  I think that is a little mind-blowing to think from his perspective that as his career is starting to take off at age 21, I am born and it will be another 14 – 15 years before I laugh at him.  😛

I really wanted to love this audio… I really did.  In all honesty perhaps it was other audio memoirs that I have listened to recently that made this one a bit of a disappointment to me.  Rob Lowe’s story blew me away.  Jane Lynch’s tell all was informative and funny.

So what was wrong with Steve, Sheila?

I felt it lacked pizzazz.  While Steve read this himself, which I LOVE, he almost read it monotone. Even when he talked about the jokes , and tag lines he had been known for (IE.  “I am a wild and crazy guy!!!!”), they came off as thought Steve was reading from a script.

As the audio, went on, it was interesting.  I liked learning about the early days, when he almost gave up as he performed to minimal audiences, to the 5 years of amazing career, when the age of stand up comedy exploded and Steve rose to the top filling arenas with 45,000+ people a show.  I can imagine that is some pretty heady stuff.

It was also interesting learning about his family.  His fathers lack of approval in what Steve was doing, and his distancing himself away from his entire family, including his sister who adored him.

And then, I think most disappointing was that as his on stage career came to an end – so did the audio.  Abruptly.  As in I was getting ready this morning and thought the audio was pausing between chapters… but no, it was over.  Steve did not go into his steps beyond the comedy.  He talked little of his movies, relationships, or other stars he friended along the way.  It felt lacking and left me….

hanging.

I feel a little bad about this as I read other reviews and they are raves.  Yet I honestly checked my audible account to make sure it wasnt a two-part audio and I had missed something.  It really felt… unfinished.

Is the audio worth listening too?

Sure.  I think maybe I was expecting more and discovering this audio is only about his stand up career…. was disheartening, and that is all on me.  Steve shares a true rags to riches story that is interesting, but a lot of details even during that time period feel left out.

Just after midnight, a snowdrift stopped the Orient Express in its tracks. The luxurious train was surprisingly full for the time of the year. But by the morning there was one passenger fewer. An American lay dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside. With tension mounting, detective Hercule Poirot comes up with not one, but two solutions to the crime…

Uh….. confession time.  Up until now… I have never read Agatha Christie.  😯  I know, I know.  I have wanted to…. I just never did.

Ryan from Wordsmithonia is a huge fan and he inspired me.  Then Julie at Booking Mama held a contest and I won a copy of the book and seriously as excited as I was, you would think that was enough of a push….

yet…. it sat.

Then I came across it on audible.com and I knew that would be the answer – I would go audio.  And, Christy fans, or newbies like me…. this was a fun choice.

David Suchet was the perfect narrator.  When he would do the voices of the women on the train (especially the snippy ones) I laughed out loud.  Seriously. I may have even snorted a bit.  😀  Fantastic narration.  You can listen to him here.

As for the story itself… it was an experience.  There are a lot of character/suspects.  I tend to like books with less characters as when there are so many I tend to either get confused on who is who, or I feel they are not developed well enough for me to remember them beyond the turn of the page…

However – as each character was interviewed about the crime… I felt as though I did get a feel for who each of them were (even if I did wrongfully accuse a few!).  There were twelve other passengers on the train… each with some connection….

Does everyone remember the original game board Clue?

LOL…. seriously though.  Fantastic listening experience.  I do plan now to go through it again in the book.  I am always impressed when an older (much older) read touches me.  I tend to read more modern books… and Murder On The Orient Express was originally published in the UK in 1934. 

I would recommend that if you have not experienced Agatha Christie that you make it a point to do so in 2012.  This book was exciting, funny, and interesting…. a brilliant over all experience.

Wolfe Boone, known as “Boo”, is why Skary Indiana is even on the map.  A horror novelist who keeps pumping out the best sellers and drawing in the tourists.  The town, adores him and does everything they can to draw in the additional revenue of the tourists by playing up to the “scary” theme…. the local restaurant is called the Haunted Mansion Restaurant, famous for it’s bloody fingers (fires splattered with ketchup) and bookstore is Spooky’s Books (where employees dress like the walking dead).

There is one person in Skary however that does not adore the famous Wolfe Boone.  Ainsley Parker, daughter of the local Sheriff, is not a fan.  Ainsley works at the Haunted Mansion Restaurant and has to put up with the gory menu and the vampire teeth when she works.  Ainsley feels her town is ridiculous, all catering to one man’s awful novels.

But, when Wolfe suddenly finds faith and decided to quit writing horror novels, Ainsley finds a side to the man she never knew before.  Genuinely funny, and honest, she may even be falling for them. 

Yet the residents of Skary can have none of that!  If Wolfe stops writing the horror novels, what will happen to the tourism?  Their town?  Soon, a scheme is plotted to put the fright back into Skary–and get their most famous resident out of love and back into the thrill business.

Ok.. ok… this book (audio) was a bit funny.  But last year when Hannah at Wordlily ran a feature on the author, Rene Gutteridge.  I proceeded to read Snitch and Listen last March, and really enjoyed it and meant to get back to the author before this – but as you know… life happens… books happen…

Last week in my library as I browsed the audio section, I came across the Boo series.  Remembering my experience with Rene Gutteridge in the past, I quickly grabbed this first audio.

Listening to Boo, was a great choice.  A funny story, great narration, and all around a great break from heavier, deeper reads. 

Ok… and a confession.  When I would picture the Ainsley dating discussions with her over protective father the sheriff… I could not help but picture Bella and Charlie from the Twilight series over there discussion about Edward… errr, in this case…. Wolfe. 

If you are looking for a light hearted fun audio, I recommend Rene Gutteridge’s Boo series… great characters and a narration that will have you smiling… all through the audio.

Amazon Rating

Goodreads Review

Loaned from my local library

When 17 year old Alex Morales knows life has changed forever, he was working at Joey’s Pizza.  His major concerns at the time was getting elected for senior class president and keeping his grades up to get into the college of his choice.  His family owned an apartment complex and along with his two younger sisters, Alex lived there with his mom and dad.

Who knew that an asteroid would hit the moon knocking it closer to the earth and causing life as he knew it to change forever.  His father who was away at his grandmothers funeral never returns home.  His mother who was working at the hospital is not heard from either.  Suddenly Alex is fighting for the survival of himself and his sisters in what fast turns Manhattan into a deadly wasteland.

Alex tries to hold it together and make the best choices while he waits hopefully, for one of his parents to return…. but time keeps on going by and life… is not getting any easier.

This follow-up book to Life As We Knew It is told during the same time frame as Miranda’s story was.  The difference is Miranda was in Pennsylvania when the meteor hit, and Alex was in New York.  By reading this story you find that New York, was much worse.

A much darker tale of the human need for survival, Alex’s story is haunting.  New York is in a panic.  While Alex has food in the apartment, it quickly runs out.  No stock piling from grocery stores happened like it did in Miranda’s story.  Alex instead finds food by checking the abandoned apartments, and eventually doing a little something he calls “body hunting” with his friend Kevin where they find the fresh dead (sorry, but there it is) and take anything of value from them… shoes, jewelry, clothing, wallets… to barter for food. 

Alex’s sisters are younger, Julie is extremely needy and panicky, Bri has health issues and needs a lot of attention.

While this can leave a gruesome image (and did), I had to think what would life be like if we only had ourselves to count on.  All outside sources as gone – no stores, no hospital…Life As We Knew It and I applaud Susan Beth Pfeffer’s vision to recreate the story but this time, there are no parents to turn too, and this is not a safe community.Alex and his family have a strong Catholic faith which wavers throughout the book – but never is set aside, not even in the worst of times.

If you enjoy Dystopia, this is a series you much check out.

I listened to this on audio checked out from my local library