Audio – Page 6 – Book Journey

No Land’s Man: A Perilous Journey through Romance, Islam, and Brunch by Aasif Mandi

Published on November 10, 2014 by Sheila (Book Journey)4 Comments

Aasif Mandvi and his family moved to America mainly because his father was fascinated with an incredible United States tradition…

BRUNCH!

You may know his from his work on The Daily Show, or in movies such as Die Hard With a Vengeance, Analyxe This, and Spider Man 2…even a Domino’s Pizza commercial.

Aasif narrates this incredibly funny audio from his early years of dancing to Michael Jackson to his first kiss; to later when he screws up Brook Shields party to receiving tv and movie rolls beyond “here, wear this turban,” and “”get on this flying carpet.” Aasif shares his lifes ups and downs of being an Indo-Muslim-British-American actor.

This audio was a lot of fun to listen to. I always enjoy actors and tv personalities that narrate their own audio books. It only seems right that they should be telling their story. Aasif narrates with a high energy and fast talking manner that you think he is hopped up on coffee (or perhaps that brownie he mentions along the way…).

Honesty, I did not know much about Aasif going into the read, but after listening to this book I have a whole new appreciation for the talent of this man who never stopped doing what he loved and made his way to who he is today.

Highly enjoyable! Fans of Aasif are not going to want to miss out on this up close and personal look of his life.

Audible Audio Edition
Listening Length: 4 hours and 23 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Audible Studios
Audible.com Release Date: November 4, 2014

QUARANTINED by Joe McKinney

Published on October 31, 2014October 31, 2014 by Sheila (Book Journey)3 Comments

In San Antonio Texas, life and all it entails, goes on for Detective Lily Harris, even in the midst of a horrifying flu outbreak that is killing people. Living inside the quarantine walls to hopefully contain the virus, Lily and her two children try to have a somewhat normal life with the addition of face masks and protective clothing on at all times. Food and supplies are hard to come by unless you use the black markets. Even in these hard times, Lily must continue to work to provide for her family.

While working her shift, Lily discovers a female murder victim among those who died from the flu virus. As Lily investigates the murder, another strain of the flu virus surfaces, and Lily finds herself in the middle of a government conspiracy that if leaked tot he public would cause an all out war.

Now Lily, with limited time, must find a way to get herself and her children through the heavily guarded quarantine walls and bring what she has found out to light in order to save them all.

Outbreak stories can be some scary stuff. When I downloaded this audiobook, it was before the Ebola virus was hitting the news. Listening to it now knowing about the dangerous virus, put another level of fear to this book.

The book is dark and gives you the feeling of being on the inside of a quarantined wall. You do not hear much about what is going on beyond the wall with the rest of the world. Food is dropped in, but as the story goes on, supplies become low. As if that is not frightening enough, finding bodies from the flu is an every chapter occurrence.

What was unique about this read was that Lily tries to maintain a somewhat normal life for kids throughout it all. I enjoyed reading about her trying to find certain ingredients to make a cake, and planning a birthday party for her daughter even in the middle of chaos. It was refreshing to know that as humans, we try through it all to maintain some sense of a life.

Unique read. I listened to this one on audio, narrator Therese Plummer (I interviewed her earlier this year) does an excellent job.

Audible Audio Edition
Listening Length: 6 hours and 9 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Audible Studios
Audible.com Release Date: November 22, 2011
Print Length for Kindle: 218 pages

The Vanishing by Wendy Webb

Published on October 30, 2014October 30, 2014 by Sheila (Book Journey)4 Comments

Julie Bishop’s life has fallen apart. Her husband’s sneaky dealings becoming public, then his sudden death, have left Julie torn apart and bankrupt. When a stranger arrives at her doorstep and offers her a job taking care of his mother who is thought to be dead, and offers Julie an escape from her worries and the public, Julie agrees. What does she have to lose?

When Julie arrives at the beautiful mansion on Lake Superior she can not began to believe her luck. House maids prepare all the meals and make her whatever she wishes, she has her own private room, a beautiful in-house library, and as it turns out, the lady she is looking after, Mrs. Sinclair, was once a famous author and a delight to keep company with.

Yet things, sadly are not all as they appear. For one, there is a photo of a woman who looks shockingly like Julie. And there are strange sighting, glimpses really of movement, and a lot of hush-hush when Julie tries to address what she is seeing to Mrs. Sinclair’s son. Then there is the phone call… an impossible phone call from someone Julie knows for certain is dead.

What exactly has Julie signed up for?

Wendy Webb writes crazy good spooky reads from Minnesota. The Vanishing is just the type of book you want to curl up with on a cool dark evening. I absolutely enjoyed this book with its gorgeous but eerie settings. There is also something about tying books and authors within stories that fully grabs on to me. Throw in a few ghosts, a good-looking guy, and you have yourself the makings of something awesome.

This is not my first experience with Wendy Webb. I enjoyed The Fate Of Mercy Alban a couple of years back. I listened to this one on audio and narrator Xe Sands had just the right smooth tones to add a bonus level to this experience.

Listening Length: 8 hours and 41 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Paperback: 304 pages
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Audible.com Release Date: April 8, 2014

Nightmares! by Jason Segel

Published on October 29, 2014October 29, 2014 by Sheila (Book Journey)10 Comments

Charlie has had a fear of the large mansion like home down the road from his own. His mother a long time ago told him to never go near the old house, and Charlie had ridden his bike by the home, but never approached it. After his mother died, he still stayed away even thought he lady who had owned the home was also gone.

Until one day…

One day Charlie seen a car at the old house and a woman with flaming red hair and a cackle for a laugh moves into the home. She is Charlotte Dechant, the daughter of the spooky old woman who had passed away, and as time goes on, Charlotte has her eyes on Charlies dad.

As if this was not enough… Charlie has incredible Nightmares, nightmares that feel all too real, and have to do often with the old house… and with Charlotte. When Charlie tries to talk to his dad, his dad feels Charlie is just having bad dreams, or making stuff up to keep him dad from Charlotte…

and then his nightmares start to slip into the waking world, and Charlie has to do something and soon.

I was impressed with Jason Segel’s first book. Obviously I am not the attended audience, but that said… I really enjoyed it and found I wanted to know what would happen next. Well written, and as I can imagine, all very real to Charlie our protagonist. Nightmares! is about a young boy learning to conquer his fears. But it is also more than that. It is about grief, and about loss, and learning to move on. This was the surprise I took away from this book.

This is more than a children’s book. In fact some of the things in the book I would imagine would be down right scary to a very young child (this too surprised me as I imagined this would be a fun lite read). I would say if you are considering this for your child, know that there are monsters in the book, and witches, and clowns (something that personally freaks me out). Use discretion knowing what your child(ren) can handle without finding the book too scary.

I listened to this on audio as Jason Segel narrates. It was a wonderful narration and I enjoyed the listen.

*This book is set up to be a series. I can see that it is open-ended enough where more stories could come from this.

Age Range: 8 – 12 years
Grade Level: 3 – 7
Series: Nightmares!
Hardcover: 368 pages
Listening Length: 7 hours and 33 minutes
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (September 9, 2014)

The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Published on October 22, 2014October 22, 2014 by Sheila (Book Journey)3 Comments

The hot combination of Holly Black (Spiderwick Chronicles and Coldest Girl In Cold Town) and Cassandra Clare *Mortal Instrument Series) … Magic is about to happen! ~Sheila

Most kids would do anything to be a part of the Iron Trials.

But not Callum Hunt. His father has warned him that magic is dangerous and the Professors at the Magisterium are not to be trusted. When Callum does his best to fail the tests to be chosen for the Trials he is chosen anyway from the many who tried to get in. Now Callum, with two other students to be taught the ways of the Iron Trial.

But what tests await these first year students… what triumphs and what tragedy’s will they face? While Callum tries to figure everything out, he starts to uncover deep truths about the Magisterium as well as himself.

As I started listening to The Iron Trials I sensed, as you may imagine by the synopsis above, that it carries essence of Harry Potter. As any book that tackles the magical platform of Potter, I am thrilled to think that some day that book may be created… one that as of yet, has not.

You will see the similarities in the two friends that Collum has in school, but the similarity ends there. This is no Ron and Hermione. Yes they are in a magical school. Yes while Harry has a scar, Collum has a bad leg.

I like the concept of the Iron Trials as (like the Potter books) each book will be a grade. The current year for beginning student is Iron Trial, followed by:

Copper Gauntlet

Cosmos Blade

The Golden Boy

The Enemy Of Death

While I enjoyed this Middle Grade story line, I am not sure that it grabbed enough to continue with the series. (Note that I said this same thing when Clare’s Mortal Instrument series came out and I read the first one thought I called it quits… and a year later devoured the whole series one after another).

Fans of such books as Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and other series aimed towards kids with magical powers should find this series worth taking a closer look at. With two rock star authors leading the way of this series, I would not be surprised if a movie does follow.

Age Range: 10 and up
Grade Level: 5 and up
Series: The Magisterium
Audio CD
LIstening Length: 10 hours and 37 minutes
Publisher: Listening Library (Audio); Unabridged edition (September 23, 2014)

Cheese Deluxe by Greg Palmer

Published on October 20, 2014October 20, 2014 by Sheila (Book Journey)4 Comments

In the mid 60’s in a small town in Washington a group of teenagers have too much time on their hands. Between the friendships and the cars, and the hang out at the Samoa Drive In; home of one of the worlds best burgers; this memoir covers short tales of a group of friends from their high school years to just beyond graduation.

With stories from a mission to teach an uncoordinated friend how to drive, parents stalking their teenager while he is on a date, flipping burgers with the fish guy, meeting famous people, saying good-bye to a beloved pet, a group hunting trip with Janelle trying to be one of the guys, broken down cars and more… you are bound to get a thrill of cruising back to the 60’s!

I was not really sure what I had signed up for when I decided I would listen to this book. I was pleasantly surprised to find that while this was not my era, it was my father’s. The stories of a simpler time when people hung out with each other instead of their phones, and took time to frequent a favorite restaurant and take a lot of pride in their cars. I certainly could imagine the cool burger hang out and even almost smell the food cooking… amazing burgers and delicious fries.

I imagine this book would be enjoyed by those who grew up in the era of cars and burger joint hang outs, but also to those of us who connect through our relatives. The book almost made me wish I had been a teenager in these simpler times.

Jeff Steitzer made an excellent narrator of this book as he retells author Greg Palmer’s recollections of being a teenager flipping burgers and dealing with the trials of the 60’s.

Audible Audio Edition
Listening Length: 8 hours and 39 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Bennett and Hastings Publishing
Audible.com Release Date: May 19, 2014

Choose Your Own Autobiography by Neil Patrick Harris

Published on October 19, 2014October 19, 2014 by Sheila (Book Journey)10 Comments

Remember those books growing up when you got to the end of a chapter you had a choice to make and then you turned to the page it told you to depending on your choice? Basically you chose the characters destination… and come what may, you decided for them. Well, Neil Patrick Harris’ biography is just like that. Neil narrates (oh yes… it is that awesome!) his own story, yet as he takes us through the life and times of second person Neil Patrick Harris, he gives you choices to choose what Neil decided next, or what kind of family he had growing up… it is funny, and interesting!

I have been a Neil Patrick Harris fan since his days as Doogie Howser (which you hear all about how Neil was chosen for that role and what it was like working on a set with adult actors and because of the child acting laws; his parents always within eye shot.

It also discusses ( or he discusses… about himself… in second person…lol) his coming out as being gay, hanging out with Elton John, hosting the Emmys, Tonys, and writing the opening – or in one case middle (there is a reason for that one) – numbers for the award shows.

While the book is good, there are a few areas that are not appropriate for all ages (shoot, I am not even sure if it is appropriate for me). Neil does get a little crude in a couple of parts of the book. That said, I have to admit I love his quick wit, his descriptions of changing up award songs to reflect what actually happened during the awards (winners and bloopers…), and his talk about being a part of a great tv series, How I Met Your Mother (HIMYM). Hearing about his tv career and his award hosting was a favorite part of the book for me.

As I mentioned, I listened to this on audio so I have to say the choose your own adventure theme works a bit differently on audio. Instead of choosing to go to a certain page, Neil simply gives you the choices and says something like, “to hear more about award ceremonies, stay tuned; to hear more about being the youngest doctor to ever help deliver a baby, that is next!”

All in all, by listening to this audio book I found our more about Neil Patrick Harris. I enjoyed listening to him. I find him to be a confident, funny, witty, guy. He knows how to work an audience and he has a brilliant mind. Fans of HIMYM and/or fans of his hosting award shows will enjoy this listen, or this book.
and….

Audio CD
Publisher: Random House Audio; Com/Cdr Un edition (October 14, 2014)Listening Length: 7 hours and 15 minutes
Hardcover: 304 pages

Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer – BEST of 2014

Published on October 16, 2014October 16, 2014 by Sheila (Book Journey)18 Comments

HIgh school student Jam Gallahue is still recovering from the tragic loss of her boyfriend, Reeve Maxfield, the adorable exchange student from Britain. It has been over a year since Reeve died and Jam is still stuck in her thoughts of kissing him in the library, or watching a funny movie together. Her depression and inability to move on is so deep, her parents feel they have no choice when they send her to The Wooden Barn, a therapeutic boarding school in Vermont for youth of similar struggles.

Jam is selected along with four other students to be in a class called Special Topics. An English class that turns out to be all about the works of Sylvia Plath. When the teacher hands each of the students a beautiful leather bond journal and encourages them to try to write something in them once or twice a week, Jam is certain that she will NOT be writing in a journal.

Yet one evening, Jam does decide to try to write a few lines in the book and when she does she finds herself whisked away, back to a time when she is with Reeve once again. While she fears she may be dreaming, his arms around her are all to real and when she comes back to the present, she finds she has written 5 pages in the journal. What is even more odd, Jam discovers that the other students in the Special Topics class had similar experiences, each going back to a time when things were right before their personal tragedy happened; and each coming back to find that 5 pages in their journal have been filled.

As the group begins to meet outside of class time to discuss their secret; they all wonder what will happen when they get to the end of the journal… and will that close the door to the past even if they are not ready to let go?

I LOVED this book. I loved the idea of a group of teens centered around a class talking about the literary works of Sylvia Plath. I thought the idea of the journals that give you a chance to go back to before things went wrong was brilliant; and the way this brought the group to open up to one another… seriously I want to just write…

GUSH! GUSH! GUSH!

I enjoyed this book on audio and Jorjeana Marie narrated well. I simply did not want to turn this book off! Incredibly well done and thought provoking! Love the title, love the characters…LOVE the book! While I thought the ending would be a bit more powerful (I had my own ideas of what might have been), it was still an amazing book that I would HIGHLY recommend is one of the best this reader has spent time with in 2014.

*I feel this book would make for a wonderful book club discussion… there are lots of what if’s in this one!

Because I want to be able to talk about this book in more detail I am dusting off the Spoiler Button and putting it in play. Please read (or listen to!) the book and then push the button and let’s talk Belzhar!

Listening Length: 8 hours and 6 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Listening Library
Audible.com Release Date: September 30, 2014

Not My Father’s Son by Alan Cummings

Published on October 15, 2014October 15, 2014 by Sheila (Book Journey)11 Comments

It is easy to look at those we see on the tv screen or on the movie screen and think there life must be amazing! Yet often there is more to the story than what we see in the flash of lights, a funny comment, and a great memorable movie line. Alan Cummings has just such a story. ~Sheila

Alan Cummings plays a wide variety of roles. You may know him from the popular series The good Wife, Any Day Now, Spy Kids, Burlesque, X2, Emma, Ghost Writer, and much more as well as Broadway plays.

Yet while Alan appears cool and calm when we see him on the screen; what we did not know was the deep dark pain that he hid deep inside of a painful childhood, a father with a quick temper and who was abusive. Leaving Alan feeling like he could never live up to the man’s expectations. Along with this was his mother, a loving gentle soul who never knew what had happened to her own father who she had last seen when she was eight years old.

Alan made the decision to go on the show Who Do You Think You Are?, a show that digs into your family history and then announces their findings on air. Alan’s curiosity about his heritage and his grandfather led him to make the decision to go on the show – having no idea the Pandora’s box he was about to open…

While I have this book in paperback, I chose to listen to it on audio. Not only for the convenience of being about to multi task while listening, but also for the fact that Alan Cummings narrates the book. Alan’s emotion though the book that opens his life wide open is at times heart wrenching, and at times he is hilarious…. and well worth the listen.

I admittedly knew little of Alan Cummings going into this read. I knew him from The good Wife, and I recognized him from a few movies, but honestly knew hardly anything about the man behind the acting. Not My Father’s Son was an honest look into Alan’s life as a child into his teens, and into his life now. Told in alternating “Then” and “Now” chapters, I found the book well written, thought-provoking, and I am so glad I counted this one in my 2014 reading.

Not only will fans of Alan Cumming find this book worth their time, I feel that those who like me, know little of the man, will also find this memoir of a boy looking for closure on a painful past so he can be the man he knows he is, is a powerful and positive reading choice.

Audible Audio Edition
Listening Length: 6 hours and 28 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: HarperAudio
Audible.com Release Date: October 7, 2014

Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Dey Street Books (October 7, 2014)

Burn by James Patter son and Michael Ledwidge

Published on October 13, 2014October 13, 2014 by Sheila (Book Journey)2 Comments

Detective Michael Bennett and the whole Bennett clan (all ten of the children, Grandpa Seamus, and the nanny Mary Catherine) are finally safe to come back home to New York. The Crime Lord who had threatened the Bennett’s into the witness protection program was now in a word… DONE.

When Mike goes back to work he is put in charge of shaping up an Outreach Squad in Harlem. While there, he works with a team following up on some unusual activity or well dressed people going into condemned buildings at odd hours. While Mike thinks, “that’s New York,” he does follow-up and finds a charred body at the scene….

something… doesn’t smell right.

Ok, ok.. sorry about the “doesn’t smell right” synopsis… it came to me… I used it.

I have followed all seven installments of this series on audio and have enjoyed every one of them. This is huge for someone who does not like to get involved in long running series. Now, before you think that this series is too far in for you to be interested, please think again.

While yes, I do feel that you will get the most appreciation of this story line if you start from the beginning to understand who Mike Bennett is and why he has ten children and no wife; I can give you the basics of the series to get you moving:

1. Mike Bennett and his wife adopted all ten of the children during their life together.

2. Mike’s wife died of cancer.

3. Grandpa Seamus is a retired Priest and lives with the family and helps out.

4. Mary Catherine is a wonderful Irish woman who loves the kids as though they are her own and lives with the family full time.

I think I love this series because it is not a graphic as some of Patterson’s books, the children and a Grandpa Priest I think really help to tame the story line, although do not feel you are not getting a great storyline, because you are. It is just that it is more of a good PG13 rating than an “R”.

BURN is crazy with activity. While Mike is working on the mystery of the charred body, there are also cops dying, a woman afraid of her ex-boyfriend, personal trauma in the Bennett household, as well as the possibility of losing one of the children. No kidding. There is a lot happening but it is all crazy interesting and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Danny Mastrogiorgio (Narrator) does an amazing job. I love the deep tough guy voice used for Michael Bennett, and I am impressed that this same voice can also handle the kids, Seamus, and of course… Mary Catherine.

My advice: Read it or listen to it, but start earlier on in the series.. this is a great listen, but you may want to back up and get a real feel for this unique family to feel the full impact of what is happening in this book.

Here is a link to my review of the first book in the series: Step On A Crack.