Three Audiobooks - A Mixed Bag

Daddy's Gone A Hunting
by Mary Higgins Clark
Published in 2013.
Audiobook narrated by Jan Maxwell.

I read my first MHC mystery on recommendation of my sister 30 years ago while visiting my family during Christmas break from college. I was so scared that I ended up sleeping at the foot of her bed because I didn't want to be alone on the ground floor of the house. Over the years I've read almost every other MHC mystery, usually eagerly anticipating the new releases.

Unfortunately - or maybe not - I think my tastes in reading material have changed in recent years. While Daddy's Gone A Hunting was a satisfactory accompaniment to my commute over the past week or two, I found the story and the characters to be only so-so. I didn't see much that I hadn't seen before.

2013.77


Al Capone Shines My Shoes
by Gennifer Choldenko
Published in 2009.
Audiobook read by Kirby Heyborne.

When my son was in fifth grade, I was the leader of one of the several book groups organized in his classroom by the teacher. One of the books we read together was Al Capone Does My Shirts. The fifth graders and I all liked it a lot.

This sequel finally made its way to the top of my to-read list - partially because of my high expectations of narrator Kirby Heyborne - and I think I liked it even better than the original. The book has great characters and exciting adventure, as well as emotional insight. Well done!

2013.68


Bellwether by Connie Willis
Originally published in 1996.
Audiobook read by Kate Reading.

One of my all-time favorite books is Connie Willis's Doomsday Book. Perhaps apprehensive that I'll be disappointed, to date I haven't read a lot of her other work. I'm glad I took a chance on Bellwether.

The blurb on the back of the CD case explains that "pop culture, chaos theory, and matters of the heart collide in this unique novella." I found it delightful!

2013.69

Sister by Rosamund Lupton

Originally published in 2010 by Piatkus Books.
Audiobook narrated by Juanita McMahon.

Both tear-jerking and spine-tingling, Sister provides an adrenaline rush that could cause a chill on the sunniest afternoon — which, perhaps, the friendly company of a sister or two (or, in a pinch, a brother) might help to dispel.

~ Liesl Schillinger

(See the full New York Times Sunday Book Review here.)
I found Sister to be a solid mystery story, and I liked the character development, particularly the relationship between the two sisters. On the other hand, I found the structure - the character Beatrice writing a letter to her dead sister Tess about giving testimony in the murder trial - distracting and sometimes confusing. I would still recommend the book, though, and I will be looking for more mysteries from Lupton in the future.

2013.2

The Lions of Little Rockby Kristin Levine

Published in 2012 by G. P. Putnam's Sons. 298 pages.
Audiobook read by Julia Whelan.

I absolutely loved this one (which was one of the 2012 Cybils finalists)!

The Lions of Little Rock provides a great exploration for middle grade readers of racism (and to a small extent sexism) in the late 1950s. It introduces such important figures as Emmett Till, whose 1955 murder was a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement, and the Little Rock Nine, the African-American students who entered Central High in 1957 - and it looks closely at the perhaps lesser-known "Lost Year" that followed the 1958 closure of Little Rock's high schools to prevent their integration and the work of the Women's Emergency Committee to Open Our Schools.

This history lesson is wonderfully presented through the eyes of twelve-year-old Marlee as she tells us of her experiences that year, the things she learns and the ways she grows, specifically through her relationships with her family and her new friend Liz. Marlee's voice was just perfect.

I "read" this one via audiobook, excellently performed by Julia Whelan - who I've also heard read the wonderful The Sky is Everywhere and the interesting Forgotten.

By the way, for those who would like to learn more about Emmett Till, I recommend Chris Crowe's Getting Away with Murder.

2013.4

Letter to My Daughter by Maya Angelou

Published in 2008 by Random House, Inc.
Audiobook read by the author.

I listened to Letter to My Daughter on CD. It is a short book - just two discs - but it's read by Maya Angelou herself and just hearing her voice brought a smile to my face. My daughter and I heard her speak at a conference several years ago, and we adore her!

As is usually (maybe always) the case with a collection of short stories or essays, some are better than others. I most enjoyed the essays here in which Angelou related an experience from her life and what she learned from it.

I also liked the commencement address she wrote. There Angelou advises that courage is the virtue that makes all other virtues possible. I love that idea!

2012.62

The Schwa Was Hereby Neal Shusterman

Originally published in 2004.
Audiobook read by the author.

How can something that makes me laugh out loud one minute make me cry the next?!

The Schwa Was Here is a terrific story - one to which anyone who has ever felt ignored or invisible will relate. The tale is told from the viewpoint of Antsy Bonano, whose "voice" is wonderful - and I loved hearing Antsy's words from Neal Shusterman himself.

This is the third of Shusterman's books I've read - and all three are very different reading experiences. I've definitely become a fan!

Shusterman's website is here.

2012.54

Forgotten by Cat Patrick

Published in 2011.
Audiobook read by Julia Whelan.

The six-disc audio version of Cat Patrick's young adult novel Forgotten caught my eye while I was perusing the library shelves for something new to "read" during my commute.

Every night, while sixteen-year-old London Lane is asleep, her memory of that day is erased. In the morning, all she can "remember" are events from her future. London is used to relying on reminder notes and a trusted friend to get through the day, but things get complicated a new boy at school enters the picture.

The premise of the book is compelling and unique - even if I was reminded of the film 50 First Dates at times - and I truly appreciated the underlying message about the value of remembering. The storyline didn't flow terribly well, though, and although I liked the various plots, they were somewhat disjointed, somewhat as if they each - if fleshed out a bit - could be a separate book in a series of books.

I do want to check out what the author has done (and is now doing) since the publication of this debut novel. Her website is here.

2012.49

A Conspiracy of Kingsby Megan Whalen Turner

Published in 2010 by Greenwillow Books.
Audiobook performed by Jeff Woodman.

The young adult novels I enjoy most are the ones that are excellent books that just happen to be written for young people. Some young adult novels - even if enjoyable - scream "YA" to me. But the best ones appear equally at home in my hands as in the hands of one of my teenagers. The four installments of Megan Whalen Turner's fantasy series that began with The Thief are such books. With complex characters, elaborate plots, and meaningful themes, these are just fabulous reads.

A Conspiracy of Kings is the fourth - and to-date the last - book about the thief Eugenides and his associates. This one is focused on and partially told from the viewpoint of Sophos, friend of Eugenides and heir to the throne of Sounis.

I absolutely loved it! This one may be my favorite of the four (although it's certainly difficult to pick just one). Sophos is a terrific character, and there are lots of twists and turns on his path. I also found the political intrigue fascinating. Megan Whalen Turner is a wonderful storyteller - and Jeff Woodman, who narrates the audiobooks, is one of the best narrators I've heard.

If you haven't read this series, be sure to start with The Thief (which I reviewed here) - and be sure to do it soon! (My thoughts about the second and third books, The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia, are here and here.)

The publisher has posted the author's discussion guide for the series here.

What I've Been "Reading" As I Commute

Seven of the last ten books I've read were audiobooks. Unfortunately, my "day job" is cutting deeply into my reading (and blogging) time at present - but at least I can "read" while commuting. Here are three of the books on CD I've finished in the past two months.

Innocent by Scott Turow
Published in 2010 by Hachette Audio.
Audiobook read by Edward Herrmann
and featuring Orlagh Cassidy.

I loved Presumed Innocent when I read it twenty-two years ago. I also loved this sequel, which continues the story of Rusty Sabich and Tommy Molto who are again - twenty-two years later - pitted against each other after the mysterious death of Rusty's wife.

Innocent is more psychological than I remember the original to be but with the same tightly-woven plot that kept me guessing. Listening to this one - about fourteen hours long on twelve CDs - made two weeks' worth of commuting almost fun!

(This book definitely contains adult language and themes.)

2012.23


The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake
by Aimee Bender
Published in 2010.
Audiobook read by the author.

I quite enjoyed this odd tale of magical realism. The writing is absolutely gorgeous, and the premise is unique. I will be definitely be looking for more from this author.

For the record, I was bothered about a couple of the realistic aspects, such as why no one seemed to have ever heard of a cell phone. I think that for the magical to be "believable," the realism has to be fully real.

2012.26


Ten Miles Past Normal
by Frances O'Roark Dowell
Published in 2011.
Audiobook narrated by Jessica Almasy.

Delightful, even sweet, Ten Miles Past Normal is a wonderful depiction of a fourteen-year-old learning to be herself, striving to "live large" and accepting the fact that she can happily exist at a place "ten miles past normal."

2012.19

A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel

Subtitled Growing Up Small in Mooreland, Indiana. Originally published in 2001. Audiobook read by the author.

More a collection of personal essays than a cohesive memoir, A Girl Named Zippy provided me with a week's worth of pleasurable commuting time. Laugh-out-loud funny at times, it also has some tender moments. I especially enjoyed Zippy talking about her relationship with her father and about her mother's faith.

I don't think I would have picked Zippy up on my own - but that's the beauty of participating in a book club. I look forward to discussing it over Thai food later this month. Maybe we'll look at some of the questions in the Reading Group Guide.

2012.25

After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick

Published in 2010 by Scholastic Inc.
Audiobook performed by Nick Podehl.


After Ever After is the fabulous sequel to Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie (which I read in 2010). There are some great life lessons here, maybe especially for young teens but actually for everyone. As the back cover says, "After Ever After is a real, tender, hopeful, and funny story about what happens when you stop surviving and start living again."

I was thrilled that I was able to convince my 12-year-old son to read both books. He's usually more excited about fantasy than he is about realistic fiction, but he ended up loving these! I think he could really relate to both eighth-grade protagonists - Steven in Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie and his little brother Jeffrey in After Ever After. (That parallelism was very fun for me too.)

I "read" this via audiobook. It has four discs, running 4 hours and 37 minutes. The narrator was fantastic!

After Ever After is a nominee for the 2012 Beehive awards, sponsored by the Children's Literature Association of Utah.

2012.7

The Sky is Everywhereby Jandy Nelson

Published in 2010.
Audiobook performed by Julie Whelan.

Just as much a celebration of love as it is a portrait of loss, Lennie's struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often hilarious, and ultimately unforgettable.

YA author Gayle Forman picked The Sky is Everywhere as one of her five "The Year's Best Teen Reads" for NPR last December. I'm glad I finally found time to "read" (via audiobook) this lyrical, tender story of grief and loss. I loved that Lennie is a bookworm and a clarinetist (just like my older daughter), and I especially loved that the audiobook included clarinet music. I also think that the cover is fabulous!

Melissa at One Librarian's Book Reviews thought The Sky is Everywhere was "absolutely beautifully written" but that the love story aspect of the plot fell flat. Suey at It's All About Books raves, "How could I not love this book?"

2011.48

Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinsky

Published in 2010. 435 pages.
Audiobook read by Cassandra Campbell.


Barbara Delinsky is a new-to-me author. Perusing the audiobook shelves at the library, I recently happened upon Not My Daughter, one of two of Delinsky's books that I had previously put on my to-read list. (The other is Family Tree.) Reminded of the 2010 Lifetime movie The Pregnancy Pact (which featured the incredible Camryn Manheim), I decided that I was in the mood to listen to this book while providing "mom taxi" services. Within a day of beginning the audiobook, I was back at the library to pick up a paperback copy because I realized that I wasn't going to spend enough time in the car to move through the story quickly enough!

Not a knitter, I nevertheless loved the symbolism provided by this hobby of the characters of the book. The emotions connected to both "being knit together in love" and "coming unraveled" are depicted well in the story.

I found Not My Daughter extremely compelling, and ultimately thought-provoking on both a personal and a societal level. How does a mother deal with her unfilled expectations of her child? How much is a mother responsible for the (bad) choices of her child? What does it mean to love - and to forgive? What is a family? Are the changing definitions and configurations of "family" positive developments, or do they undermine what family is supposed to be?

I'd like to read another book by the prolific Delinsky, but which one should I read next? Have you read any of her books? If so, what do you recommend?

2011.80

The King of Attoliaby Megan Whalen Turner

Published in 2006.
Audiobook performed by Jeff Woodman.


The King of Attolia is the third installment of Megan Whalen Turner's series The Queen's Thief. As I did with the two previous books, I listened to this one on CD - and Jeff Woodman is an exceptional narrator. (I reviewed The Thief here and The Queen of Attolia here.)

I am still loving the thief Gen (short for Eugenides), even in his new profession and even though this installment is told from the perspective of the soldier Costis. I didn't like this book as much as The Queen of Attolia, but Megan Whalen Turner is a great storyteller! I will certainly be reading the next book in the series, A Conspiracy of Kings.

Turner has a discussion guide for the series (at least of the four books so far) here.

2011.68

Extras by Scott Westerfeld

Published in 2007.
Audiobook performed by Carine Montbertrand.


Extras is a follow-up to Scott Westerfeld's Uglies Trilogy (which I reviewed here and here and here). Set in Japan several years after the "prettytime," the book's main character is fifteen-year-old Aya Fuse, who wants nothing more than to be famous.

Overall, this was worth the time I spent listening to the audiobook. I really liked the first half or so, with its excellent commentary on social media and fame. Toward the end, though, despite some commentary on war, I found myself mostly just wishing the book was over.

Despite the lag in my interest toward the end of this book, I have enjoyed the world of the "uglies." Westerfeld's website includes a summary of all four books (featuring awesome, new covers) and an interview he did about Uglies with Simon & Schuster. I am curious, too, about his reference book Bogus to Bubbly: An Insider's Guide to the World of Uglies, for when I want to return to that world.

2011.78

Three Audiobooks I Enjoyed

Rise and Shine by Anna Quindlen
Published in 2006.
Audiobook performed by Carol Monda.

I read a number of negative reviews of Rise and Shine shortly after I started listening to the audiobook. I'm glad I didn't respond to those by abandoning the book, as I ending up enjoying it a great deal.

There is a lot to ponder in this novel: the difference between who we are and what we do, the relationship between sisters, the importance of family, and an understanding of what really matters. I was listening through tears near the end of the book - probably not such a great idea when driving in rush hour traffic.

Anna Quindlen certainly has a way with words. It had been many years since I'd read one of her novels, and I'm happy to have made my re-acquaintance with her work!

2011.44


Daddy's Girl by Lisa Scottoline
Published in 2007.
Audiobook performed by Barbara Rosenblat.

It had been a number of years since I had read a book by Lisa Scottoline. It won't be as long before I read another!

Daddy's Girl was a great audiobook "read"! It is laugh-out-loud funny in places, with enough twists and turns in the mystery to keep me guessing to the end. The story also has a meaningful exploration of what "justice" means, with references to The Merchant of Venice and the Underground Railroad.

2011.46


The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
Originally published in 2000.
Audiobook performed by Jeff Woodman.

This is the second book of The Queen's Thief young adult fantasy series. (My review of the first book - The Thief - is here.)

With lots of adventure and a little bit of romance, this one is hard to resist. There are some fabulous theological insights near the end, as the thief Eugenides struggles to understand the path his life has taken. I thought the ending was perfect - and leads right into the third book of the series, The King of Attolia.

2011.53

More Six-Word Reviews

3 Willows: The Sisterhood Grows
by Ann Brashares
Published in 2009.
Audiobook read by Kimberly Farr.

The power of (younger) sisterhood redux!
2011.23

One Thousand White Women:
The Journals of May Dodd
by Jim Fergus
Published in 1998.
Audiobook narrated by Laura Hicks,
with introduction and epilogue by Erik Steele.

Intriguing premise but too much bodice-ripping.
2011.33

Code Orange by Caroline B. Cooney
Published in 2005. 200 pages.

Nearly perfect for middle grade boys.
2011.43

Five Reviews of Six Words (or Less)

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins
Published in 2011. 359 pages.


Sequel even better than the first.
2011.31


Wrong Number by Rachelle Christensen
Published in 2010. 200 pages.


Clean suspenseful romance by Utah author.
(For my Teaching Through Literature Discussions workshop.)
2011.26


Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson
Published in 2002.
Audiobook read by Samantha Mathis.


Without the power of Speak.
2011.28


Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks
Published in 2010.
Audiobook read by Rebecca Lowman.


Chilling abusive relationship. "Second chance" love.
2011.39


Dramarama by E. Lockhart
Published in 2007.
Audiobook read by Kate Reinders.


Growth at summer drama camp. Delightful!
2011.42

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: Book One.
Published in 2005.
Unabridged audiobook read by Jesse Bernstein.


My kids (ages 11, 15, and 20) had all read and enjoyed The Lightning Thief before we watched it on DVD. I liked the movie version so much - despite the differences from the book, most notably that the main characters appear to be several years older than they are described in the book - that I decided it was time I read it too!

Rick Riordan's imaginative placement of Greek mythology in our modern world makes for a great story! The last few chapters were somewhat anti-climatic, just setting up the sequel, but overall The Lightning Thief is a fun read.

I enjoyed the narrator of the audiobook, although I understand what my friend Sue said about his women's characters being whiny. I will look for audiobook versions of the rest of series, as this one was a great accompaniment to my daily commute.

2011.20

So Yesterday by Scott Westerfeld

Published in 2004.
Audiobook read by Scott Brick.


Scott Westerfeld, author of the Uglies series, is a brilliant social commentator! On his website, he describes So Yesterday this way:

What if it was your job to say what was cool? What if clothes and electronics companies gave you cash for your opinion, and lots of free stuff on top of it? You wouldn't complain about that, would you?

Hunter Braque is a professional cool-hunter. No ads go on TV without his approval, no new shoes hit the stores unless he's down with them. It's a pretty sweet deal, until he meets Jen—a rare Innovator, one of the people who actually creates cool at street-level. Real cool, not the corporate kind. Suddenly, strange things start to happen.

First Hunter's boss Mandy disappears. When he enlists Jen to help find her, the two begin to uncover a plot to end consumerism as we know it! Will the world change forever, or can Hunter save the sacred bond between brands and buyers? Does he even want to?

I enjoyed the first two-thirds of this unique book more than the last third, but overall I found it to be a fun, satirical look at who decides what is cool.

Westerfeld's wife, author Justine Larbalestier, called So Yesterday "a love letter to New York City" in a blog post about the book. I particularly enjoyed the shout out to Becky Hammond of the WNBA (even though she's no longer with New York). There is a cool photoblog of So Yesterday celebrating New York City on Westerfeld's blog.

2011.9

The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

Published in 1996.
Audiobook performed by Jeff Woodman.
1997 Newbery Honor Book.

On the recommendation of my friend Sue, I listened to this young adult fantasy novel on CD. I enjoyed the whole book - the character Gen (short for Eugenides) is fabulous, the world in which he lives is interesting, the mythology of that world is intriguing - but it was the ending that totally blew me away. I'm definitely reading (or listening to) to the next book in the series, The Queen of Attolia.

Karen of Typing With My Toes said, "From the very beginning, Gen’s voice was what drew me in." Her full review is here.

Tricia of Library Queue said, "The ending made me want to read it all over again." Her full review is here.

Corinne of The Book Nest called The Thief "a gem." Her full review is here.

Megan Whalen Turner's website is here.

2010.86