Tag: Review

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.