August 2015

[Travis]

Since two books weren't enough apparently, I began a third today. American Sketches: Great Leaders, Creative Thinkers, and Heroes of a Hurricane Normally I am trying to get the whole world to read Walter Isaacson. Not in this effort. A collection of things he's written for magazines and papers and such throughout his life and then his time on the soapbox to go with them. Not loving it. Interesting enough to continue, but so glad this was not my first by him or I doubt I would have read any others.

[Jeanie]

Heidi (Yup. Still here.) wrote: "Yeah I know I am supposed to feel that way about Levana Jeanie and admit my reaction is not natural and also that it is a sign of a good story teller to create someone I love to hate so much!

I..."

Don't get me wrong, I still love to hate Levana and frankly didn't feel her backstory went very far in generating any sympathy for the woman who slipped from a girl using manipulation in the name of obsession into a psycho killer and genocidal tyrant. It's actually a good thing that the reader doesn't develop any true empathy with her because such psychotic behavior is beyond empathy, or should be.

[Fran]

I finished Murder in Newport and it's a good thing it was just over 6 hours because I knew whodunit fairly early on. And for all of you I Am Pilgrim lovers I started that and am about an hour into it. In between, I went to the Pearl S. Buck House and the James Michener Art Museum today. Buck's Nobel Prize for Literature was the second one I saw this summer. Quite a literary summer I'm having! Haldor Laxness's was the other I stood in awe of at his house in Iceland. I'm just crossing stuff off the bucket list!

[Janice]

Heidi (Yup. Still here.) wrote: "I just finished Fairest as well. I really dislike Levana so it was hard to like a book entirely dedicated to her! I really enjoyed Dog On it once I got used to it. .."

I felt quite sympathetic towards her at the beginning of the book, but that waned quickly when I realized just how twisted she was. I'm really looking forward to Winter.

I enjoyed Dog On It, but I think I will continue the series in print format.

[Robin P]

Janice wrote: "I finished a couple of audiobooks over the weekend - Dog on It and Fairest.

I started Song of Susannah today."

I loved Dog on It and have listened to all the rest. As soon as my new credit arrives this month, I'm getting the newest installment. I won't even consider reading them in print. Jim Frangione is perfect as Chet the Dog, and I'm not even a dog person in real life!

[Jessica]

Finished Number of the Beast: Paladin Cycle, Book One and was not overly impressed. Ian Murray was not horrible as a narrator but could have been better. The story ending was all cliff hangar and no resolution at all. Even the epilogue added a new twist. There is no book two on Audible so unless you plan to read the sequel in print, I don't reccomend it.

[Briar Rose]

I don't think I posted last month. In July I read Yes Please and So You've Been Publicly Shamed. So You've Been Publicly Shamed is my favourite Jon Ronson book so far. I've liked all the books of his I've read, but this one actually taught me something and changed my perspective on the world.

Right now I'm reading The Remains of the Day, read by Dominic West. He does a fantastic job, and the book is brilliant so far. It's funny and poignant and it just sucks you right into the world and the story. I can see why it won the Booker!

[Kristie]

Briar Rose wrote: "I don't think I posted last month. In July I read Yes Please and So You've Been Publicly Shamed. So You've Been Publicly Shamed is my favourite Jon Ronson book so fa..."

I too enjoyed The Remains of the Day, but I heard Simon Prebble's narration, which was fantastic. Now I have a hard time listening to anything else he narrates without thinking he sounds like a butler. :)

I'll have to look at the new Ronson book. I've liked others of his, too.

[Janice]

Robin wrote: "I loved Dog on It and have listened to all the rest. As soon as my new credit arrives this month, I'm getting the newest installment. I won't even consider reading them in print. Jim Frangione is perfect as Chet the Dog, and I'm not even a dog person in real life! ..."

LOL! I'm a cat person myself.

I guess I'm just used to hearing Jim Frangione reading all the sexy bits in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. And after hearing Luke Daniels voice Oberone and Arla in the Iron Druid series, Chet sounds a bit flat. Maybe it's just that I'm not a huge fan of cozy mysteries.

[Margaret]

Glad to hear all the comments on Genghis Khan, it's been on my TBR list ever since I finished Jack Weatherford's Indian Givers , Nar Victor Bevine – Historical connections among foods and techniques from America spreading throughout the world and back, + the many consequences, good and bad. Finishes with a sort of drum beat for Indian superiority. I like an enthusiast.

[Susan]

I've been listening to JD Robb's In Death Series as a recommendation from here and like to listen to them all in the coming months. Makes my drive to work great. I just love Eve Dallas and just picture Sandra Bullock playing her in a movie/tv series.

[Margaret]

Alas, Michener's Iberia is not offered. I notice that Caravans, set in Afghanistan is offered. If our statesmen and congressmen had read that book, they never would have tried to go to war there. NEVER!

[CatBookMom]

Margaret wrote: "Alas, Michener's Iberia is not offered. I notice that Caravans, set in Afghanistan is offered. If our statesmen and congressmen had read that book, they never would have tried to go to war there...."

My library has Hawaii as a pre-release, but it's not offered at Audible. I find this very strange; I hope it will become available later, since it's one of my favorites.

[CatBookMom]

Susan wrote: "I've been listening to JD Robb's In Death Series as a recommendation from here and like to listen to them all in the coming months. Makes my drive to work great. I just love Eve Dallas and just p..."

Glad you've joined the fandom. Your suggestion about casting is making me think about other characters. Pierce Brosnan would be a perfect Roarke, in his Remington Steele days.

[CatBookMom]

I'm listening to Vision in Silver, the 3rd in the Others series from Anne Bishop, borrowed from the library's OverDrive collection. I have to say that I'm finding the narrator to be the earnest female equivalent of Scott Brick, so slow. I'm really thinking that I may not buy the audio; much as I like listening to books, this series may just be best in print.

[Dara]

Just finished listening to and I really enjoyed it. The Narrator did an amazing job of switching between all of the "teen" voices with their attitudes as well as the "adult/male/female" voices.

[Hannah]

I've recently finished listening to Ernest Cline's Armada. As much as I wanted to love this book, it left me wanting. Don't get me wrong, Wil Wheaton's narration was spot on but the story didn't leave me with warm fuzzy feelings like Ready Player One did. I don't know if it reminded me too much of the Last Starfighter but it left me with been there done that even before I finished.

[Jessica]

Just bought Armada last night so I probably won't get around to listening to it for a little while. Got to listen to On Basilisk Station for a group read first.

[Jeanie]

CatBookMom wrote: "Susan wrote: "I've been listening to JD Robb's In Death Series as a recommendation from here and like to listen to them all in the coming months. Makes my drive to work great. I just love Eve Dal..."

Oooo, Pierce Brosnan in his Remington Steele days... never thought of that before but, yep, he's a Roark.

[Scott S.]

Hannah wrote: "I've recently finished listening to Ernest Cline's Armada. As much as I wanted to love this book, it left me wanting. Don't get me wrong, Wil Wheaton's narration was spot on but the story didn't le..."

I felt the same exact way, Hannah. I think my expectations may have been to high for the book to have ever stood a chance.

[Kristie]

Year Zero was kind of cute and totally preposterous. The ending/epilogue made me chuckle, though.

Now I'm on to A Fatal Grace.

[Catherine]

Finished The Big Rock Candy Mountain-what a story, I loved it!

Now on to Dr. Death

[Robin P]

Kristie wrote: "Year Zero was kind of cute and totally preposterous. The ending/epilogue made me chuckle, though.

Now I'm on to A Fatal Grace."

I felt the same way about Year Zero, it's not that memorable but the final reveal is amusing.

[Scott S.]

Robin wrote: "Kristie wrote: "Year Zero was kind of cute and totally preposterous. The ending/epilogue made me chuckle, though.

Now I'm on to A Fatal Grace."

I felt the same way a..."

Hey, you guys see that city over there? I built it on rock and roll.

It's adolescent, but I chuckled all the way through Year Zero both times I listened to it.

[Jeanie]

I finished Murder in the Paperback Parlor and came to the definite conclusion that the writing doesn't work well in audio. I kept being struck by how people just don't talk that way and their thoughts aren't phrased that way. Unfortunately for me, I like the setting, characters, premise, and the talk of books and of food and tea... I'll be continuing with the next one and try to let go of how it is written and just enjoy the rest of it.

[Kristie]

Hey, you guys see that city over there? I built it on rock and roll.

It's adolescent, but I chuckled all the way through Year Zero both times I listened to it.

Yes, it was full of little quips and references like that. I usually am good with books like that, especially after a string of heavier fare, but it all just fell a little flat. It was a good time for me, just not a very good time.

[Michelle]

I just finished listening to Go Set a Watchman. Reese Witherspoon did a phenomenal job as the reader. I didn't think I would like this book but I have to say I did in spite of myself. Some aspects were disappointing (loss of Gem, no Dill, and Atticus of course) but on the whole it was a good book. Surprisingly the best part was being able to compare it to To Kill a Mockingbird. You can really see Harper Lee's growth as a writer and the transformation of the story from a good book into a great book.

[Susan]

Pierce Brosnan would be a perfect Roarke, in his Remington Steele days.

Yes that would be great!!!

[MissSusie]

Finished and really liked The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah narrated by Polly Stone it took me a little bit to get into the narration but I ended up really liking her by the end.

Now listening to The Night Sister by, Jennifer McMahon narrated by,Cassandra Campbell

[Jeanie]

I've started listening to the latest in the Alex Verus series by Ben Aaronovitch, Veiled. Really liking it so far... I'm still put off by Luna at times, even though she appears to be a fan favorite.

[Jessica]

Starting Fugitives from Northwoods. Another listen-2-review. Still way behind but beginning to put a dent in my backlog!

[Jay]

My recent finishes

I Am Pilgrim. It took too long to get going for me. I finished it though rolling my eyes through the cliches more and more.

The Story Hour Wow what a book. Right from the beginning I was all in and it was so different from anything I have read prior. I could not get enough. Then it ended.... so badly. I re-listened 3 times to the last ten minutes just sure I missed something. If I had a book store nearby I would have stopped in to verify that, that is how the author intended for it to finish.

I just completed The Flying Circus. Very similar to Water for Elephants, for me. Completely enjoyed it from beginning to end. Susan Crandall is proving herself to be a fine author.

[MissSusie]

Jenifer wrote: "My recent finishes

I Am Pilgrim. It took too long to get going for me. I finished it though rolling my eyes through the cliches more and more.

The Story Hour Wow ..."


I agree Flying Circus was wonderful I'll read anything Susan Crandall writes!

[Kristie]

Thanks to a long dentist appointment, I was able to finish A Fatal Grace today. I do still like the series, but it seemed pretty obvious to me all along who'd done it. I'll probably get the next book in the series, especially since I can get them from the library for free.

Next up: Probably Dust.

[Jeanie]

I finished the latest Alex Verus book, Veiled, by Ben Aaronovitch and enjoyed it. It's not easy to keep up with the byzantine politics of the mage world and this time was especially twisted... I don't think we got it all untwisted even by the end.

[Sandi]

Since I last posted, I finished Foxglove Summer. It was a nice little break from the bleakness of Broken Homes. Kobna Holdbrook-Smith just keeps getting better and better as a narrator.

Then, I listened to The Nightingale for the Ford Audiobook Club. It's a book I would have never bought, but I liked it. I don't think I'll read anything else by the author because the other books she's written look like romances, but this was a good historical fiction novel about women that wasn't focused on romance.

Now, I'm listening to Cruel Beauty, a book that was offered through the Audiobook SYNC program. I'm enjoying it much more than I thought I would. It's a YA romance that's a cross between Beauty and the Beast and Roman mythology. I really want to strangle the heroine though because she's so blindly stupid.

[Robin P]

I'm enjoying A Cool Breeze on the Underground, which must have been a Daily Deal or some kind of special. I never heard of this author before but it's a sort of detective/caper story where everyone seems to be double-crossing everyone else. Because it's set in maybe late 70's to 80's, there is a lot of leg work, pay phones, letters, etc., instead of internet and cell phones, and the retro setting is refreshing.

I just posted a defense of audio in a GR group I belong to that reads classics. One member insisted that it is just wrong to listen to someone like Dickens on audio because that's not what he wrote for. I am positive that at the time, many people read Dickens aloud to their families. Even Dickens did public readings which were hugely successful. Anyway I assume this person doesn't listen to audiobooks as he seemed to think they are a lesser form. I've known several people who said audio helped them appreciate and read more classics than they otherwise would have.

Another group I am in had a challenge for the year of reading books from a variety of genres and authors, and it included an audiobook, and some people were very wary about that. I sometimes forget how many "unbelievers" there still are out there!

[John, Moderator]

In Victorian times, there was indeed a tradition of (the father) reading books aloud to the family.

Perhaps some people associate "audiobook" with "abridged"?

[Janice]

I finished Song of Susannah. I'm really loving this series. I'm looking forward to the last book in the series, and I'm not. I don't want it to be over. I think I'll be in withdrawals.

Just as I finished the book and was contemplating jumping right into the last book, my email notification sounded. The library emailed to tell me the audiobook I had on hold was available for download. Was that Ka? I don't know, but I will be starting Death Masks tomorrow.

[CatBookMom]

Robin wrote: "...I just posted a defense of audio in a GR group I belong to that reads classics. One member insisted that it is just wrong to listen to someone like Dickens on audio because that's not what he wrote for...."

Good for you! As John has commented, I think many families had books being read to them while they did evening activities. Pshaw! to people who say audiobooks are not 'reading'.

[Kristie]

John wrote: "In Victorian times, there was indeed a tradition of (the father) reading books aloud to the family.

Perhaps some people associate "audiobook" with "abridged"?"

I wonder if people assume that they are all narrated by stuffy old British people, like the old Books on Tape used to be. They're definitely not your grandma's Books on Tape anymore!

[Donna]

Today, I started We Are Water by Wally Lamb with a little apprehension. I like Wally Lamb's writing, but I don't always like his stories. So far I am liking this one. He can do dysfunction so well. He has a way of making them feel like family and/or close friends, even if I don't particularly like them. I still feel emotionally connected.

There are also a lot of different narrators. Usually, I'm not a fan of this, but again, it works here. I hope the ending is as strong as the beginning.

[Dee]

Pretty sure serials were done on radios that ppl listened to in 40-50's (thinking abt like the original annie and the,radio shows)

[Donna]

Pshaw! to people who say audiobooks are not 'reading ..."

Your comment made me laugh. At my neighborhood book club, I was told by a high school English teacher that listening to audiobooks isn't 'real reading'. She told me I had to actually read the written word in order to fully understand.

[Jessica]

Finished my third book this week and loved it. My review of Fugitives from Northwoods is up on Goodreads, Audible,and my blog.

Next up for me is 18hours of A Time of Demons by Kathryn Meyer Griffith. I still have to listen to over 15 hours of On Basilisk Station by David Weber for a group read in another GR group.

[Jeanie]

I finished the latest Sherilyn Kenyon Dark Hunter book, Dragonbane. It was a good book within the series, but it needs to come to a head and let this war that's been starting for several books now go ahead and start/end.

[Briar Rose]

I just finished The Remains of the Day. The book is beautiful. It's subtle, funny, heartbreaking, perfectly-written. And Dominic West really hits it out of the park. It's one of the most masterful audiobook performances I've ever listened to. I think it was made easier by it being a first-person narrative, but he absolutely inhabits the character. I know there's a Simon Prebble version, but I can't imagine anyone else reading it!

I'm going to have to take a break for a day or two before I move onto my next listen, just to sit with this one.

[Travis]

There is a lot of "true readers" who scoff at audiobooks. Too bad for them since they can only read a fraction of the books I get through on audio a year

[Story]

Enjoying The Girl with All the Gifts Thanks to whoever recommended it.

[Jan]

Finished Beauty by Robin McKinley - an old favorite from the past. I thoroughly enjoyed the narration.

Started Just One Damned Thing After Another - I've been looking forward to this series. I'm about 25% in and so far so good. The narration is smooth and very easy to listen to.