Review: The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

Book Info:

The Dead-Tossed Waves (Forest of Hands and Teeth, Book 2) by Carrie Ryan

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (March 9, 2010)

ISBN-13: 9780385736848

Genre: YA

Source: Library, Audio

Rating: 4/5

Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She's content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry's mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry. And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry's generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother's past in order to save herself and the one she loves.




The Dead-Tossed Waves is the second book in a trilogy, following The Forest of Hands and Teeth (review).  These types of books are a bit of a departure for me.  I don't usually read books that involve dead things like zombies, and I listened to the first book based on Beth's rave review.  I enjoyed The Forest of Hands and Teeth, but liked the audio production more than I liked the story itself.  Still, I was interested enough to listen to the second book, and I enjoyed The Dead-Tossed Waves much more.
 
I think the difference between Forest and Waves, for me, was how prominent the Unconsecrated were in the story.  In Forest, they were front and center all the time, and since the walking dead don't appeal much to me I didn't enjoy the story as much.  In Waves, the Unconsecrated are still a very important part of the story, but the setting and other characters allowed them to blend into the background a bit and I found myself much more interested in the story.  I also felt  more of a connection to Gabry's character than to Mary's.  I'm not sure exactly why this was, but it was one more reason Waves worked better for me.
 
A different narrator read The Dead-Tossed Waves, and I don't think it was quite as good as the first book in the trilogy, but it was close.  While I didn't expect to be pulled into this series like I have been, I am now very excited for the last book in the trilogy.  I will be listening to it as soon as it becomes available.  4 stars

Review: Let Me Go by Helga Schneider

Book Info:

Let Me Go by Helga Schneider

Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Penguin (August 30, 2005)
ISBN-10: 0143035177

Genre: Nonfiction

Source: Library, Audio

Rating: 4.5/5

In 1941, in Berlin, Helga Schneider’s mother abandoned her along with her father and younger brother. Let Me Go recounts Helga’s final meeting with her ailing mother in a Vienna nursing home some sixty years after World War II, in which Helga confronts a nightmare: her mother’s lack of repentance about her past as a Nazi SS guard at concentration camps, including Auschwitz, where she was responsible for untold acts of torture. With spellbinding detail, Schneider recalls their conversation, evoking her own struggle between a daughter’s sense of obligation and the inescapable horror of her mother’s deeds.

I was recently browsing the library's audio downloads when this one caught my eye. I needed another book for my WWII challenge and I liked that Let Me Go looked like a quick listen at only 5 disks. Since the weather has turned cold and I'm not walking to work my audio listening has suffered and I find shorter books work a little better. What I didn't expect was the emotional impact those 5 disks carried...

Let Me Go is a snapshot of a story. There is a little background included in the form of flashbacks and stories, but the bulk of the story is one conversation. This may seem a little incomplete to some, but I thought the format worked well. Schneider didn't have much knowledge of her mother beyond this conversation and I liked that the reader/listener didn't know more than she did.

The narrator of this book, Barbara Rosenblat, is amazing. She inflects so much emotion into the book that I often found myself with goosebumps. When she reads the mother's words it varies between and old woman's confusion and petulance to unashamed cruelty. While Let Me Go is a fascinating story of an insider's experience in the concentration camps, it is worth listening to for the wonderful narration alone. 4.5 stars

The Bottom Line, #4

The Bottom Line is a feature to designed to give quick and dirty reviews of books I've read, but I either don't have the time or the inspiration to write full reviews on them.


Deeper by Megan Hart
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Spice (July 1, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9780373605323
Genre: Erotica
Source: Borrowed from a friend
Rating: 3.5/5

I don't usually read erotica so I didn't know quite what to expect with this book. It was a little tamer than I thought it would be but the storyline was decent. I could see myself picking up another one of Hart's books if I just wanted something different to read. I also read this one on a Kindle which was a fun change.


Blue Heaven by C.J. Box
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books (June 23, 2009)
ISBN-13: 978-0312614836
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Source: Library, Audio
Rating: 2.5/5

Blue Heaven started out promising, but kind of fizzled by the end. I expected a little more from the story, but it wasn't bad. There were a few times I found myself rolling my eyes at the dialogue and a I found a couple of the narrators voices terribly annoying.


Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: HarperFestival; (October 28, 2008)
ISBN-13: 978-0061649691
Genre: Young Adult, Children's
Source: Library, Audio
Rating: 4/5

I'd heard great things about Gaiman, but hadn't had the chance to read him before. I really enjoyed this audio though. The story was a little predictable, but not to the point of being boring. What I enjoyed most though was Gaiman's narration. His voice was smooth and the inflections perfect. I'll listen to another one of his books for that fact alone.

Review: The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Book Info:

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers; (March 10, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9780385736817

Genre: Young Adult

Rating: 3.5/5

In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future: between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

The Forest of Hands and Teeth is not my usual kind of book. I really enjoy YA books, but tend to gravitate more towards those that deal with social issues. I don't really get into the paranormal or sci/fi books. I'd seen The Forest of Hands and Teeth mentioned on a few blogs, saw the audio come though the library, but passed it up. But then I saw Beth mention how the narrator was amazing, and for that reason alone, I decided to give it a try.

And even though this wasn't my usual type of book I'm glad I listened to it. The narrator, Vane Millon, was wonderful. The story was compelling, but her narration really made the book stand out. She didn't really focus on character voices as much as some narrators do, and that worked fine for me. It was her inflection and emotion that really came through and made this book really stand out.

Mary was an interesting character. She's always led a sheltered life. She's been told this is your path in life and she followed that path right along with everyone else. It is once she starts questioning the status quo that the book gets interesting. I love seeing her struggle with the safety of what she knows against the draw of what might be.I started this audio not too long after I read The Chosen One (review), and even though the setting are very different, the characters went through many of the same struggles.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth is the first book in a trilogy. The second, The Dead-Tossed Waves will be coming out in Spring 2010 and the third will be out Spring 2011. I will be on the look out for the audio versions of these for sure. 3.5 stars

Review: The Associate by John Grisham

Book Info:
The Associate by John Grisham
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Doubleday (January 27, 2009)
ISBN-13: 978-0385517836
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 3/5

Kyle McAvoy grew up in his father’s small-town law office in York, Pennsylvania. He excelled in college, was elected editor-in-chief of The Yale Law Journal, and his future has limitless potential. But Kyle has a secret, a dark one, an episode from college that he has tried to forget.

The secret, though, falls into the hands of the wrong people, and Kyle is forced to take a job he doesn’t want -- even though it’'s a job most law students can only dream about. Three months after leaving Yale, Kyle becomes an associate at the largest law firm in the world, where, in addition to practicing law, he is expected to lie, steal, and take part in a scheme that could send him to prison, if not get him killed.

I haven't read much Grisham lately. His books are ones that I remember loving when they first came out, but his new stuff hasn't impressed me nearly as much. When The Associate arrived on audio at the library I decided to give it a try.

Was it amazing? No, but it was enjoyable. The story was well paced with lots of action to keep me interested, but it was pretty standard. There wasn't a character I loved, or a twist that had me at the edge of my seat. It was a suspenseful read, but not one that will stay with me.

One thing I do want to mention, if you prefer your endings to be neatly wrapped up with all the questions answered, this one might not be for you. About halfway through disk 6 the story was still going strong. When I noticed the book was 8 disks long, I was a little worried the ending was going to be terribly rushed. It didn't really come across that way, but there were a lot of loose ends. This doesn't bother me, but I think the ending could be a little disappointing to some. 3 stars

Review: Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

Book Info:
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell

Unabridged Audio Length: 7 hours and 48 min

Narrator: Malcolm Gladwell

Genre: Non-Fiction

Rating: 3/5

How do we make decisions--good and bad--and why are some people so much better at it than others? Thats the question Malcolm Gladwell asks and answers in the follow-up to his huge bestseller, The Tipping Point. Utilizing case studies as diverse as speed dating, pop music, and the shooting of Amadou Diallo, Gladwell reveals that what we think of as decisions made in the blink of an eye are much more complicated than assumed. Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience and psychology, he shows how the difference between good decision-making and bad has nothing to do with how much information we can process quickly, but on the few particular details on which we focus.

Leaping boldly from example to example, displaying all of the brilliance that made The Tipping Point a classic, Gladwell reveals how we can become better decision makers--in our homes, our offices, and in everyday life. The result is a book that is surprising and transforming. Never again will you think about thinking the same way.

I listened to Outliers (review) earlier this year and really enjoyed it. Blink was interesting, but I don't think it quite measured up to Outliers for me.

Blink discusses the snap judgements we make and what these judgments are influenced by. Some of Gladwell's examples were wonderful. He talked about how some people could tell a sculpture was a fake just from gut feelings. Or, how facial expressions tell the same story across different cultures, and how most cultures knew exactly what was being expressed.

Other examples didn't have me convinced though. His section on marriage was interesting. He talked about how a scientist could predict if your marriage would survive just based on a few minutes of video as you discuss an issue with your spouse. Sounds great, right? But this is hardly a snap judgment as these few minutes of video tape are heavily analyzed, frame by frame. To me, just because you study a small amount of data, doesn't make your findings the result of intuition.

I enjoyed Blink, but didn't find it as strong as Outliers. If you are a fan of Gladwell's, I think you will enjoy Blink, but I wasn't totally convinced by all his examples. 3 stars

Review: My Antonia by Willa Cather

Book Info:
My Antonia by Willa Cather
Format: Audio CD
Publisher: Brilliance Audio (June 25, 2005)
ISBN-13: 9781597371391

Widely recognized as Willa Cather's greatest novel, My Ántonia is a soulful and rich portrait of a pioneer woman's simple yet heroic life. The spirited daughter of Bohemian immigrants, Ántonia must adapt to a hard existence on the desolate prairies of the Midwest. Enduring childhood poverty, teenage seduction, and family tragedy, she eventually becomes a wife and mother on a Nebraska farm. A fictional record of how women helped forge the communities that formed a nation, My Ántonia is also a hauntingly eloquent celebration of the strength, courage, and spirit of America's early pioneers.

I think I had to read some Willa Cather in school, but I couldn't tell you which one. If I did, it didn't really stick with me. My Ántonia started out very interesting. I loved the descriptions of the early pioneer life. The primitive houses and the hardships of farming really came alive for me. Near the middle of the book my interest fizzled a little. Once the Burden family moved to town the book didn't hold the same appeal.

I really liked the narrator of this audio version. He had a rich, smooth voice and I loved the Bohemian accents. They really helped bring some of the characters to life.

My Ántonia is a good example of how strong women helped shape the pioneer, but for me, the book lacked focus. It was an enjoyable listen, but it seemed to ramble at times and veer off to give updates of the different characters. It was good, but nothing amazing.

Review: Killing the Shadows by Val McDermid

Book Info:
Killing the Shadows by Val McDermid

Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Length: 16 hrs and 29 mins
Narrated by Vari Sylvester

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Rating: 3.5/5

A killer is on the loose, blurring the line between fact and fiction. His prey - the writers of crime novels who have turned psychological profilers into the heroes of the nineties. But this killer is like no other. His bloodlust shatters all the conventional wisdom surrounding the motives and mechanics of how serial killers operate. And for one woman, the desperate hunt to uncover his identity becomes a matter of life and death.

Professor Fiona Cameron is an academic psychologist who uses computer technology to help police forces track serial offenders. She used to help the Met, but vowed never to work for them again when they went against her advice and badly screwed up an investigation as a consequence. Still smarting from the experience, she's working a case in Toledo when her lover, thriller writer Kit Martin, tells her a fellow crime novelist has been murdered. It's not her case, but Fiona can't help taking an interest.

Which is just as well, because before too long the killer strikes again. And again. And Fiona is caught up in a race against time, not only to save a life, but to bring herself redemption, both personal and professional.

The plot in this book was wonderful. There were 3 intertwining story lines but they were all so well done that I didn't have any problem keeping them all straight. The characters were very well developed and likeable. The ending was also great. It was a surprise, but nothing too far fetched either.

The narrator did a fabulous job. The slight Scottish accent was great and it could even make the F word sound charming. The Scots was a little broader for some of the characters, but nothing that I ever had a hard time understanding. The only time the narration fell a little short for me was when she was trying for a Spanish accent. The mix of Scottish and Spanish didn't really work, but it wasn't awful either.

For me, 16 hours of audiobook is a lot. Yes, I've listened to Outlander, which is much longer, but Outlander is a story I already know. It took me almost 2 months to finish the audio of Killing the Shadows as I don't usually have much time to listen. I will read another Val McDermid book but won't do another audio unless I know I'll have time to finish it quicker. The lower rating is more my fault than the book's fault...after 2 months I was just ready for it to be over. However, if you enjoy a good mystery and have time for a longer audio, give this one a try. 3.5 stars

Review: Looking for Alaska by John Green

Book Info:
Looking for Alaska by John Green

Audio Length: 7 hours and 11 min.
Publisher: Puffin (August 14, 2008)

Genre: Young Adult

Rating: 4.5/5

Before. Miles "Pudge" Halter's whole life has been one big non-event. Then he heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-butboring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into a new life, and steals his heart.

After. Nothing is ever the same.

This is another one of those YA books that I had heard good things about, but didn't really know too much about the plot. Which, to be honest, is how I like a lot of my books. I want just enough info or recommendations to catch my attention, but I really like the story to unfold without too many preconcieved ideas.

I loved how the chapters were set up in this one. They were 121 Days Before...so you knew something was coming, and then 2 Days After...which is exactly how time is measured after something big happens.

I enjoyed Pudge's journey from a shy, uncertain kid to one who could hold his own with teachers, parents and friends. The other characters are fun, realistic, and people I could see myself being friends with. I've never been to boarding school, but some of the stuff they did seemed older than 16 or 17...or maybe it's just that I'm starting to forget what high school was really like!

I don't usually remember or write down quotes from books, but this one really spoke to me.

"If only we could see the endless string of consequences that result from our
smallest actions, but we can't know better, until knowing better is useless."

I really enjoyed this book and will be on the lookout for some of Green's other books. I never thought about last words before listening to this book, but if you interested in more last words, check out the John Green's Blog. 4 stars

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Review: Life on the Refrigerator Door by Alice Kuipers

Book Info:
Life on the Refrigerator Door: Notes Between a Mother and Daughter by Alice Kuipers
Audio Lenth: 1 hour and 11 min.

Publisher: Harper Audio (Sept 1, 2007)

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Short Stories

Rating: 4/5

Claire and her mother are running out of time, but they don't know it. Not yet. Claire is wrapped up with the difficulties of her burgeoning adulthood—boys, school, friends, identity; Claire's mother, a single mom, is rushed off her feet both at work and at home. They rarely find themselves in the same room at the same time, and it often seems that the only thing they can count on are notes to each other on the refrigerator door. When home is threatened by a crisis, their relationship experiences a momentous change. Forced to reevaluate the delicate balance between their personal lives and their bond as mother and daughter, Claire and her mother find new love and devotion for one another deeper than anything they had ever imagined.

Heartfelt, touching and unforgettable, Life on the Refrigerator Door deftly captures the impenetrable fabric that connects mothers and daughters throughout the world and delivers universal lessons about love in a wonderfully simple and poignant narrative.

This audio book is very short at just over an hour of running time, but it packs an emotional punch in that short time frame.

When I first started listening to this book it made me sad. I think it's almost normal for parents and children to spend very little time together these days, but I remember eating together as a family almost every night for dinner when I was younger. That a mother and daughter need notes on a refrigerator to communicate is a sad development.

Once I got past my initial sadness at the lack of mom and daughter time and got into the story itself, I was hooked. This story is told in broad strokes, you don't get many details, but it still worked. The emotional intensity came through and I found myself hoping right along with Claire.

This audiobook has two narrators, one for the mom and one for the daughter, Claire. I really like audiobooks with more than one narrator, and this was no exception. It's much easier to distinguish the characters when they have noticeably different voices. The daughter's narration seemed a bit overdone to me at times, but I guess drama is the norm with a teenage girl.

I do wonder, though, if I missed something by not reading the book version. I wonder what their handwriting looked like, or if they drew each other doodles on the notes...The book is 240 pages, so I am guessing there is a lot of white space, with maybe a note or two on each page. If any of you have read the book, please let me know what the notes looked like.

This is a quick story that highlights the special mother and daughter bond. 4 stars

Review: The Survivors Club by Ben Sherwood

Book Info:
The Survivors Club: The Secrets and Science that Could Save Your Life by Ben Sherwood
Audio CD: 11.5 hours
Publisher: Hachette Audio; Unabridged edition (January 26, 2009)
Rating: 3.5/5

Each second of the day, someone in America faces a crisis, whether it's a car accident, violent crime, serious illness, or financial trouble. Given the inevitability of adversity, we all wonder: Who beats the odds and who surrenders? Why do some people bound back and others give up? How can I become the kind of person who survives and thrives?

The fascinating, hopeful answers to these questions are found in THE SURVIVORS CLUB. In the tradition of Freakonomics and The Tipping Point, this book reveals the hidden side of survival by combining astonishing true stories, gripping scientific research, and the author's adventures inside the U.S. military's elite survival schools and the government's airplane crash evacuation course.

With THE SURVIVORS CLUB, you can also discover your own Survivor IQ through a powerful Internet-based test called the Survivor Profiler. Developed exclusively for this book, the test analyzes your personality and generates a customized report on your top survivor strengths.

There is no escaping life's inevitable struggles. But THE SURVIVORS CLUB can give you an edge when adversity strikes.

When I got this audiobook I was really excited about it. I thought it would include all sorts of tips and tricks about the safest way to handle all kinds of situations. The section on airplane crashes was exactly what I was hoping for. It had tips on where on the plane was the best place to sit and things you can do to keep yourself safer in the event you are in a crash.

After this, the book gets away from concrete examples and talks about the more abstract parts of being a survivor. These topics included luck and faith. While these are a big part of being able to survive adverse situations, they didn't lend themselves to the examples that I was hoping for.

One part of the story that I wish had been longer was Sherwood's experience inside the military's survival schools. I thought the scenarios they put him through were fascinating and would have like a little more detail.

While this was an interesting audiobook, it just wasn't quite what I expected. I did find the survivor stories interesting and the website includes some of the people featured in the book, as well as some new survivor stories. 3.5 stars

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Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Clay Jensen's first love records her last words.

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker,his classmate and crush, who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah's voice explains that there are thirteen reasons she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out why.

Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a first-hand witness to Hannah's pain, and learns the truth about himself, a truth he never wanted to face.

Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heart-rending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

When I picked up this audiobook from the library I knew it was a young adult book about suicide, but I didn't know that the format of the story included cassette tapes. Because the story revolves around these tapes of Hannah's, it makes for a very powerful audio book. You are hearing Hannah's words through the speakers, just as Clay would.

There was both a male and female narrator on the audio, and they both were very well done. The emotion of the story came through strongly, and throughout the story I would get goose bumps.

Sometimes as Clay was listening to Hannah's tapes his thoughts and reactions to her statements would break into her narrative. While these often clarified or added to the story they were also a little distracting. I would be so engrossed in Hannah's story that I didn't want any interruptions.

This is a powerful and well-written story. It is definitely not just for teens, as suicide is a subject that doesn't just affect them. I highly recommend this book, especially the unabridged audio version. This is a story that will stay with me. 5 stars

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Review: Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

In this stunning new book, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of "outliers"--the best and the brightest, the most famous and the most successful. He asks the question: what makes high-achievers different?

His answer is that we pay too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where they are from: that is, their culture, their family, their generation, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing. Along the way he explains the secrets of software billionaires, what it takes to be a great soccer player, why Asians are good at math, and what made the Beatles the greatest rock band.

I'd known of Malcolm Gladwell's books for a while, but hadn't picked one up. Now I wish I hadn't waited so long as I loved this audio book. It was entertaining, interesting and educational without being dry, as some non-fiction can be. It was read by the author and I enjoyed him as the narrator.

This book was an eye opening look at successful people. When most people think success they think hard work, but Gladwell shows that it is so much more than that. His examples come from all walks of life and from many different professions, yet they all get you thinking about success in a whole new way.

The section on Asians being good at math was one of my favorites. My mom, who is a teacher, and I were recently discussing Gladwell's thoughts on the topic. She mentioned that the district she teaches in has been redesigning the math curriculum's language to more closely resemble that of Asian speakers. I love it when things I'm reading about apply to everyday life!

I highly recommend this book, even for those readers or listeners who don't normally read non-fiction. Now, I'm off to track down his other books! 4 stars

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Review: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb.

As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends -- and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society -- born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island -- boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.

Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society’s members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.

Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises, and of finding connection in the most surprising ways.

I'd heard so many wonderful things about this book from fellow bloggers that when I saw an audio copy at the library I couldn't resist. And I am very glad I didn't!

When I first started listening I was afraid it might be hard to keep track of the characters as the entire book consists solely of letters and telegrams. I soon realized that I had no need to be worried. The letters flow smoothly from one character to another. This gives you many characters perspectives without missing any of the action.

I was immediately drawn into to Juliet's story and often found myself laughing out loud. Her letters were honest, fun and wonderfully entertaining. All of the characters had such well defined personalities that I felt like they were all good friends by the end of the story.

The narrators, I believe there were five, did an amazing job! I could tell as soon as they started speaking which character it was. They all had such distinct voices and the accents were absolutely charming.

I finished listening to this one on new years day and still haven't started another audio because I loved this one so much. 5 stars

The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff

"The day I returned to Templeton steeped in disgrace, the fifty-foot corpse of a monster surfaced in Lake Glimmerglass." So begins The Monsters of Templeton, a novel spanning two centuries: part a contemporary story of a girl's search for her father, part historical novel, and part ghost story, this spellbinding novel is at its core a tale of how one town holds the secrets of a family. In the wake of a wildly disastrous affair with her married archaeology professor, Willie Upton arrives on the doorstep of her ancestral home in Templeton, New York, where her hippie-turned-born-again-Baptist mom, Vi, still lives. Willie expects to be able to hide in the place that has been home to her family for generations, but the monster's death changes the fabric of the quiet, picture-perfect town her ancestors founded.

Even further, Willie learns that the story her mother had always told her about her father has all been a lie: he wasn't the random man from a free-love commune that Vi had led her to imagine, but someone else entirely. Someone from this very town. As Willie puts her archaeological skills to work digging for the truth about her lineage, she discovers that the secrets of her family run deep. Through letters, editorials, and journal entries, the dead rise up to tell their sides of the story as dark mysteries come to light, past and present blur, old stories are finally put to rest, and the shocking truth about more than one monster is revealed.

I had this book on my MP3 player for about 3 months before I got around to listening to it. It sounded interesting, but I generally shy away from monsters and ghost stories. They aren't my preferred subject matter. The monster and the ghost play fairly minor roles in the story, and I ended up liking both of them.

As the jacket flap info above says, this story moves from the present to different points in the past as the narrator's ancestors tell their stories through journal entries and letters. I usually really enjoy stories told in the present and past, but this one seemed a little slow in some of the historical settings. Also, I listened to this one instead of reading it. There were a few times that I was unsure which characters was even speaking in the historical parts. There may have been a font change to indicate the speaker, but unfortunately, this is lost in the audio version. There were also quite a few ancestors to keep track of as they told their stories and I admit I didn't retain much of who was related to who.

The narrator, however, was wonderful. The main character, Willie, has a sarcastic sense of humor, which I love, and the narrator had her tone down perfectly. My only complaint with the CD version was that was some strange music about 2/3 through each of the sections. At first I thought it signaled a change from present to the past, but that wasn't always the case.

This was the first book that I read by Groff, but I will be looking for more. The characters were all very well done and by the end of the book I felt like I really knew them all.

Fractured by Karin Slaughter

With its gracious homes and tree-lined streets, Ansley Park is one of Atlanta's most desirable neighborhoods. But in one gleaming mansion, in a teenager's lavish bedroom, a girl has been savagely murdered. And in the hallway, her horrified mother stands amid shattered glass, having killed her daughter's attacker with her bare hands. Detective Will Trent of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is here only to do a political favor; the murder site belongs to the Atlanta police. But Trent soon sees something that the cops are missing, something in the trail of blood, in a matrix of forensic evidence, and in the eyes of the shell-shocked mother. Within minutes, Trent is taking over the case and adding another one to it. He is sure that another teenage girl is missing, and that a killer is on the loose.

Armed with only fleeting clues, teamed with a female cop who has her own personal reasons for hating him, Trent has enemies all around him and a gnawing feeling that this case, which started in the best of homes, is cutting quick and deep through the ruins of perfect lives broken wide-open: where human demons emerge with a vengeance.

I thought this was a stand alone book, and while it's not really a sequel, a minor character in this book was also in Triptych. I usually am pretty careful about reading books in order, but the main characters are different so hopefully I didn't miss too much...

That being said, I really enjoyed the main characters in this book. They both have many failings, but were very likeable. Not that I need another series to read, but I would like to see another book featuring Special Agent Will Trent.

Karin Slaughter's Grant County series is one of my favorites so I had high hopes for this book and it didn't disappoint. The storyline was well planned and still plausible. I listened to the unabridged audio version and thought the narrator did a very good job. 4 stars

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

In the summer of 1974, Kate Mularkey has accepted her place at the bottom of the eighth-grade social food chain. Then, to her amazement, the "coolest girl in the world" moves in across the street and wants to be her friend. Tully Hart seems to have it all -- beauty, brains, ambition. On the surface they are as opposite as two people can be: Kate, doomed to be forever uncool, with a loving family who mortifies her at every turn; Tully, steeped in glamour and mystery, but with a secret that is destroying her. They make a pact to be best friends forever; by summer's end they've become TullyandKate. Inseparable.

So begins Kristin Hannah's magnificent novel. Spanning more than three decades and playing out across the ever-changing face of the Pacific Northwest, Firefly Lane is the poignant, powerful story of two women and the friendship that becomes the mainstay of their lives.

For thirty years, Tully and Kate buoy each other through life, weathering the storms of friendship -- jealousy, anger, hurt, resentment. They think they've survived it all until a single act of betrayal tears them apart... and puts their courage and friendship to the ultimate test.

Firefly Lane is for anyone who ever drank Boone's Farm apple wine while listening to Abba or Fleetwood Mac. More than a coming-of-age novel, it's the story of a generation of women who were both blessed and cursed by choices. It's about promises and secrets and betrayals. And ultimately, about the one person who really, truly knows you -- and knows what has the power to hurt you... and heal you. Firefly Lane is a story you'll never forget... one you'll want to pass on to your best friend.

Unabridged, 15 CDs, 18 hrs runtime

This review refers to the unabridged audio version.

I recently had a work trip which included an 8 hour drive one way. I wanted a book that would last me for the entire trip. This one looked good and fit my time requirement. I don't read or listen to women's fiction very often. I have nothing against it, and usually enjoy it, but it's not the genre I reach for first. That being said, I loved this book.

This is an epic book and Hannah finds just the right balance of details and keeping time moving smoothly along. You really get to know the characters, and the passage of so much time allows them the chance to grow and change so much more than in most books.

The narrator did a wonderful job too. She was able to capture all the emotion without over doing it. You really got to know all the characters, and I found myself laughing out loud more than once.

This is not just a happy book or a sad book, but really encompasses the wide range of emotions that all of us experience in our daily lives. Through all the ups and downs friendship and love endure.

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Absolute Fear by Lisa Jackson

In the turbo-charged follow-up to Shiver (2006), photographer Abby Chastain, who played a major role in Shiver, finds she may have a half-sister in Eve Renner, the adopted daughter of Dr. Terrence Renner, former head psychiatrist at Our Lady of Virtues Mental Hospital, a shuttered asylum near (pre-Katrina) New Orleans. When "the Reviver," a tattoo-loving psychopath intent on revenge, almost kills Eve, the amnesia-plagued Eve fears Cole Dennis, her lawyer boyfriend, might be the monster, since she saw him at the scene of her assault (and a friend's murder), though Cole is released for lack of evidence. The body count mounts through many unexpected twists and turns as a grim Det. Reuben Montoya, Abby's fiancé, and his partner, Rick Bentz, try to puzzle out the killer's cryptic clues before he strikes again.

I read Shiver last year, and liked it, but thought it could have used some thinning out. For a what should have been a quick, fun read it took me over a week to finish. It seemed like there were a lot of details that could have been omitted. Absolute Fear could have used the same thinning out. It seemed to take an awful long time for the action to get moving and then it would kind of fizzle out for a bit. I also found that Absolute Fear would bring in some story elements to try to keep the action moving, but then they seemed to just drift off without ever really being developed. Sorry for not being a little more complete in my thoughts here, but I hate spoilers...

My biggest gripe about this book, though, was the ending. I understand authors want to keep their series characters coming back, but when something is introduced in the epilogue, and it's only purpose is to set up another book, it just kind of turns me off. If the characters don't have enough happening to warrant another book, just let them go! 2.5 stars

The Girl Who Stopped Swimming by Joshilyn Jackson

Laurel Gray Hawthorne needs to make things pretty, whether she's helping her mother make sure the literal family skeleton stays in the closet or turning scraps of fabric into nationally acclaimed art quilts. Her estranged sister Thalia, an impoverished Actress with a capital A, is her polar opposite, priding herself on exposing the lurid truth lurking behind middle class niceties. While Laurel's life seems neatly on track--a passionate marriage, a treasured daughter, and a lovely home in suburban Victorianna--everything she holds dear is suddenly thrown into question the night she is visited by the ghost of a her 13-year old neighbor Molly Dufresne.

The ghost leads Laurel to the real Molly floating lifelessly in the Hawthorne's backyard pool. Molly's death is inexplicable--an unseemly mystery Laurel knows no one in her whitewashed neighborhood is up to solving. Only her wayward, unpredictable sister is right for the task, but calling in a favor from Thalia is like walking straight into a frying pan protected only by Crisco. Enlisting Thalia's help, Laurel sets out on a life-altering journey that triggers startling revelations about her family's guarded past, the true state of her marriage, and the girl who stopped swimming.

Until recently I have not been a fan of audio books at all. I found that my mind would wander and I would have no idea what had just happened in the book. This audio, though, had me captivated right from the start. The book is narrated by the author and I loved her voices for all the characters, except for Laurel's father. Yes, he was supposed to have a nasal voice, but it still bugged me a bit. At least he was a fairly minor character.

One thing I found interesting with this book was how my feelings toward Thalia would swing between loving how wild and unbridled she was, to being completely fed up and angry with her for meddling in Laurel's life. Usually I either like a character or don't, and with Thalia I still can't decide. Actually, now that I sit down to write this, there are a few characters that I have conflicted feelings about. I think Joshilyn Jackson did a wonderful job of leaving each characters actions open to interpretation. She never said a characters actions were right or wrong, she just presented the story and let each reader's own experiences color the characters.

This is the fist book I "read" by Jackson, but it won't be the last. Whether in book or audio format I will definitely be checking out her other books. 4.5 stars.

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