Audio Review: Arcadia Falls

Title: Arcadia Falls
Author: Carol Goodman
Listening Time: 12 hrs and 37 mins
Rating: 4/5

In debt after her husband's unexpected death, Meg Rosenthal secures a job as a teacher at an upstate New York boarding school. Leaving suburban Long Island, Meg and her teenage daughter, Sally, embark on a new life in Arcadia Falls, a beautiful but isolated small town and the inspiration for a number of magically eerie fairy tales. With a hurtful rift growing between her and her daughter, Meg is hopeful that the change of scene will provide them with a fresh start. But it soon becomes clear to Meg that this isolated community hides deeply rooted and deadly secrets. And after a mysterious death, Arcadia Falls begins to reveal a disturbing dark side (Cover Blurb).

I borrowed this audio strictly for the cover.  I thought it was beautiful and gothic and really grabbed my attention.  I'm glad I went with the impulse, and thought this book was really spectacular. 

Arcadia is a small private art school that was started in the early 1900s by two women, Vera Beecher and Lily Eberhardt.  The two women were deeply devoted to each other, but each of their lives were shrouded and secrets and betrayal, especially Lilly Eberhardt.  In the present day, Meg Rosenthal comes to Arcadia after the death of her husband, which left her penniless and desperate.  After being offered a job to teach English, especially the history of fairy tales, Meg moves with her daughter Sally into the cottage of Vera Beecher and Lily Eberhardt and it is here where the mystery begins.

Soon after Meg's arrival, one of the students at Arcadia is found dead in the ravine, eerily mirroring the death of Lily Eberhardt so many years ago.  Troubled by the death, Meg begins to delve into the lives of Lily and Vera, finally finding the journal of Lily Eberhardt which has remained hidden for many years.  It is at this point that the novel begins to twist and turn, releasing secret after secret, keeping the reader on their toes.

Intertwined throughout the story, is the fairy tale of The Changling Girl originally written by Lily.  The story mirrors Lily's own journey and it's interesting to see how it fits in with her life.  One of my favorite aspects of this story was the mix between the past and present day.  Along with the changling story, we also were able to experience Lily's journal and travel with her through her struggles.  I loved the descriptions of her life and how everything happened.  There were a few times where my mouth just fell open as I pieced everything together.

I'm looking forward to reading more of Carol Goodman and hope that ther other books are half as good as Arcadia Falls!

Audio Review: The Girl Who Chased the Moon

Title: The Girl Who Chased the Moon
Author: Sarah Addison Allen
Listening Time: 7 hrs and 1 min
Rating: 4.5/5

Emily Benedict came to Mullaby, North Carolina, hoping to solve at least some of the riddles surrounding her mother’s life. But the moment Emily enters the house where her mother grew up and meets the grandfather she never knew, she realizes that mysteries aren’t solved in Mullaby, they’re a way of life: Here are rooms where the wallpaper changes to suit your mood. Unexplained lights skip across the yard at midnight. And a neighbor, Julia Winterson, bakes hope in the form of cakes, offering them to satisfy the town’s sweet tooth—but also in the hope of rekindling a love she fears might be lost forever. Can a hummingbird cake really bring back a lost love? Is there really a ghost dancing in Emily’s backyard? The answers are never what you expect. But in this town of lovable misfits, the unexpected fits right in (sarahaddisonallen.com).

I was really excited when I saw this one available on the library's website and instantly added it to my cart.  I've been interest in reading something by Allen for a while, but always seem to be distracted by something else.  Audio books have allowed me to finally get to all the books I've been meaning to read!  I can't wait to go back and read Allen's backlist of Garden Spells and The Sugar Queen and she's definitely on my must by list now!

Allen's books fall under the genre of magical realism.  Set in the South, The Girl Who Chased the Moon, is a fast paced, moving story filled with lovable characters and bits of mysticism.  The Girl Who Chased the Moon focuses on two main characters - Emily and Julia.  Emily is a seventeen year old girl who has recently lost her mother.  She comes to Mulberry to live with the grandfather she never knew existed.  Julia fled Mulberry eighteen years ago, only to return after the death of her father.  Julia is running from her own secrets while Emily is just discovering those of her mother.

Intertwined throughout the story is a bevy of secondary characters all with their  own quirks.  These secondary characters where so well developed, that I wished there were more of them throughout the novel.  They helped bring a deep richness to the story that would have been lacking otherwise.  Along with great secondary characters, Allen intertwines descriptions of food that will make your mouth water (especially if you are six and a half months pregnant and always hungry)!  Julia's baked good sounded scrumptious and now I am craving BBQ.

I highly recommend this audio and can't wait to dive into the pages of more books by Sarah Addison Allen!

Audio Review: The Wife's Tale

Title: The Wife's Tale
Author: Lori Lansens
Listening Time: 11 hrs and 33 mins
Rating: 3/5

It’s the eve of her twenty-fifth wedding anniversary and Mary Gooch is waiting for her husband, Jimmy, to come home. But Mary isn’t just waiting for Jimmy. She is waiting for a mother who accepts her, children she is unable to have, a life beyond the well-worn path from her bedroom to the refrigerator. Mary is waiting for her life to start.

As she waits for Jimmy, the night passes into day and it becomes clear that he isn’t coming home. A letter left in the mailbox confirms her worst fears and Mary is left alone to make a difficult decision. Should she break free from her inertia and salvage her marriage? Or is the pull of the familiarity of her home, the predictability of her daily routines, too strong to resist?

For the first time in her life, Mary decides to leave and boards a plane to California. She flies across the country in a desperate attempt to find her husband. The clothes, the marriage, the home that had given her a place to hide for so long are all gone. Mary soon finds that the bright sun and broad vistas of California force her to look up from the pavement, stop waiting and start living. What she finds when she does is an inner strength she’s never felt before. Through it all, Mary not only finds kindred spirits, but reunites with a more intimate stranger no longer sequestered by fear and habit: herself (randomhouse.com).

I'm having a hard time figuring out exactly how I feel about this book.  On one hand, I think parts of the book are a five star read.  On the other hand, I think parts of it are one star.  So I met in the middle and gave the book as a whole three stars.

One reason why I think I had such trouble with this book especially in the beginning was because I found Mary to be such a hard character to like and get to know.  Even at the end of the book, I still didn't have a deep fondness for her.  At times I found her existence to be almost sad, and I few times I viewed her as pathetic.  I had visions of slapping her a few times!!  Other times, I cheered her on as she fought again the "obeast" as she refers to her obesity and begain to find herself again after a lifetime of letting herself go.

I think the biggest struggle I had with this book was how easily it seemed that Mary was able to make friends, and ask so many people for help.  When Mary was home in Canada, she could barely go to the grocery store and talk to anyone, let alone ask a total stranger to help her.  When she came to the US, she was much more open and seemed to make friends almost easily.  I do believe that the author did this to show the audience how Mary was growing as an individual, coming out of her shell and opening up in the world.  I just had a hard time with how quickly things changed.

This is the first book I've read by Lori Lansens and I was a bit taken aback by the writing style.  For some reason, I thought it would be different.  Plus, a few of the scenes made me extremely uncomfortable, especially listening to them on audio at work.  I'm curious now to read The Girls and see how it compares to The Wife's Tale.  I will say, I find the description of the The Girls to be more entertaining than I found that for The Wife's Tale.  It seems like it might be more up my alley.  Despite being a bit "shocked" by some of the scenarios in the book (I think I'm turning into my mother...ahhh), I thought the writing was truly superb.  I also thought this was a beautifully presented audio that I enjoyed listening to.  That's one reason why I felt the book may have deserved a higher rating, but my dislike for the main character kept me from going above a three.

Review: Lost and Found

Title: Lost and Found
Author: Jacqueline Sheehan
Pages: 278
Rating: 4/5

A poignant and unforgettable tale of love, loss, and moving on . . . with the help of one not-so-little dog

Rocky's husband Bob was just forty-two when she discovered him lying cold and lifeless on the bathroom floor . . . and Rocky's world changed forever. Quitting her job, chopping off all her hair, she leaves Massachusetts—reinventing her past and taking a job as Animal Control Warden on Peak's Island, a tiny speck off the coast of Maine and a million miles away from everything she's lost. She leaves her career as a psychologist behind, only to find friendship with a woman whose brain misfires in the most wonderful way and a young girl who is trying to disappear. Rocky, a quirky and fallible character, discovers the healing process to be agonizingly slow.

But then she meets Lloyd.

A large black Labrador retriever, Lloyd enters Rocky's world with a primitive arrow sticking out of his shoulder. And so begins a remarkable friendship between a wounded woman and a wounded, lovable beast. As the unraveling mystery of Lloyd's accident and missing owner leads Rocky to an archery instructor who draws her in even as she finds every reason to mistrust him, she discovers the life-altering revelation that grief can be transformed . . . and joy does exist in unexpected places (harpercollins.com).

I bought this book a few years ago based strickly on the cover.  I'm a sucker for any type of book that has to do with dogs and the black lab on the cover of this book is absolutely adorable.  However, like so many books it was pushed aside for other books that seemed to be more exciting, more interesting, or the it book of the moment.  When I was picking out my books to read this week from my TBR pile, this cover again caught my eye.  Once I read the description I was even more intrigued and moved it from the TBR pile to the I am reading now pile :)  I'm quite happy I did.

Rocky was a hard character to get to know, and it made the book a bit difficult to get into at first.  However, once I realized what her personality was like, and broke through the outer shell I flew through the rest of the pages.  Lost and Found is a book filled with grief, hope, tragedy and mystery.  All of these elements are molded together into one moving, beautiful story that pulled at my heart strings.  Of course my favorite character in the book was Lloyd, the beautiful, but injured, black lab that captures Rocky's heart.  There are three chapters in the book told from Lloyd's point of view and each chapter is more moving than the last.  It made me look at my two little doggies in a different light.  I only hope that they view me the way that Lloyd viewed Rocky.

I recommend this book to anyone who has a love for animals and is looking for a good strong story that will keep you turning pages long into the night.  I'll be looking for and definitely picking up Sheehan's newer book Now and Then in the coming weeks.  This is definitely a new "must read" author for me!

Audio Review: Viola in Reel Life

Title: Viola in Reel Life
Author: Adriana Trigiani
Listening Time: 6 hrs and 17 mins
Rating: 4.5/5

I'm marooned.

Abandoned.

Left to rot in boarding school . . .

Viola doesn't want to go to boarding school, but somehow she ends up at an all-girls school in South Bend, Indiana, far, far away from her home in Brooklyn, New York. Now Viola is stuck for a whole year in the sherbet-colored sweater capital of the world.

Ick.

There's no way Viola's going to survive the year—especially since she has to replace her best friend Andrew with three new roommates who, disturbingly, actually seem to like it there. She resorts to viewing the world (and hiding) behind the lens of her video camera.

Boarding school, though, and her roommates and even the Midwest are nothing like she thought they would be, and soon Viola realizes she may be in for the most incredible year of her life.

But first she has to put the camera down and let the world in (harpercollins.com).

Viola in Reel Life is Trigiani's first novel written for the young adult audience, and I thought she did a wonderful job!  I was immediately captivated with Viola and I thought the premise of the novel was extremely fun.  Also, Trigiani's voice as a writer is amazing.  I could kick myself for waiting so long to read something by her.

My favorite character is Viola, our main character.  She's snarky and fun and her sarcastic manner is light hearted and helps keep the story moving at an even pace.  Viola is an only child whose parents are documentary film makers.  Because of a project they are working on, they send Viola to the Prefect Academy, a boarding school in South Bend, IN.  Viola is housed in a quad with three other girls.  Things are a bit rough in the beginning, but once everything works out, the girls find themselves as close as sisters.

One of the complaints that others have had about Viola in Reel Life was the language of the novel.  They found the dialogue to be too "young" for high school freshman.  I, on the other hand, found it to be refreshing (I must be getting old!).  I thought the dialogue fit the age group and flowed smoothly. 

This has been my favorite audio so far that I have listened to.  I adored the narrator, and felt she brought a real uniqueness to the story.

This is the first in a new series by Adriana Trigiani.  The next book, Viola in the Spotlight, comes out in April of 2011 and I'll definitely be grabbing it.  The cover is equally cute :)

Review: Second Honeymoon

Title: Second Honeymoon
Author: Joanna Trollope
Pages: 323
Rating: 4/5

"Ben is, at last, leaving home. At twenty-two, he's the youngest of the family. His mother Edie, an actor, is distraught. His father Russell, a theatrical agent, is rather hoping to get his wife back, after decades of family life. His brother, Matthew, is wrestling with a relationship in which he achieves and earns less than his girlfriend. His sister Rosa is wrestling with debt, and the end of a turbulent love affair." Meet the Boyd family and the empty nest, twenty-first-century style (goodreads.com).

This was a wonderfully written novel, filled with well thought out prose and insight.  I flew through the pages of this book, taking in the Boyd family, immersing myself in their lives, and traveling with them on this journey.  It was an extremely thoughtful and incredible ride.

Edie is a mom of three grown children.  Her youngest, Ben has just left home to share a flat with his girlfriend and her mother.  Edie is suffering greatly from "empty nest" syndrome much to the distress of her husband.  Russell, her husband, would like things to return to how they were at the beginning of their relationship when he had Edie all to himself.  I, obviously, have never had to deal with the empty nest.  However, I know how my mom struggled with it when both my brother and I moved out.  It took her months to be able to readjust to it just being her and dad again, and even now, five years later, she still cooks way too much food for two people!

Second Honeymoon is very much character driven and this is where Trollope excels.  Each character is presented with a distinct, but likeable personality.  Even the cat, Arsie, has a terrific personality and I loved the way that Trollope intertwined him throughout the story.  Each characters story is different, and each is struggling with their own problems and issues.  However, Trollope brings all these characters together and at the end all of their stories come together in a beautifully written conclusion.

This is the first book I have read by Joanna Trollope but she has quite a back list that I will be checking out in the future.  I enjoy books that really hit me in the core, and this was definitely one of them.

Audio Review: Fever 1793

Title: Fever 1793
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Listening Time: 5 hrs and 46 min
Rating: 3/5


August 1793. Fourteen-year-old Mattie Cook is ambitious, adventurous, and sick to death of listening to her mother. Mattie has plans of her own. She wants to turn the Cook Coffeehouse into the finest business in Philadelphia, the capital of the new United States.
But the waterfront is abuzz with reports of disease. “Fever” spreads from the docks and creeps toward Mattie’s home, threatening everything she holds dear.

As the cemeteries fill with fever victims, fear turns to panic, and thousands flee the city. Then tragedy strikes the coffeehouse, and Mattie is trapped in a living nightmare. Suddenly, her struggle to build a better life must give way to something even more important – the fight to stay alive (madwomenintheforest.com).

This is the third book I've read or listened to by Laurie Halse Anderson and so far my least favorite.  Unlike the other two books, I found Fever 1793 to be very slow moving and extremely hard to get into.

Fever 1793 is told through the voice of Matilda, a young girl living in Philadelphia during the yellow fever outbreak of 1793.  Halse Anderson chose to tell this story in first person using the voice of young Mattie.  Because of this, I found it hard to connect with the story because I couldn't connect with Mattie.  Also, I often felt the book shifted from modern to historical voice, most likely not on purpose, but the shift was there.

One thing I will give Fever 1793 was that it was extremely historically accurate.  One can definitely tell that Laurie Halse Anderson thoroughly researched the epidemic and she was able to truly capture the feel of fear experienced during that time of crisis.

Another issue I had with this audio was the narrator.  I just didn't like her voice.  I felt as though it made the story drag.  It was a tough subject and I think a different voice would have made the story less of a downer.

Even thought I didn't like my first take of Laurie's historical fiction writing, I'm still going to give Chains (which I requested at the library) a try.

Review: Chicken Soup for the Expectant Mother's Soul

Title: Chicken Soup for the Expectant Mother's Soul
Author: Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Patty Aubery, Nancy Mitchell
Pages: 344
Rating: 3.5/5

Every year, millions of women wait with anticipation as they watch their test strip change from white to pink, thus beginning the awesome adventure of becoming a mother. This latest Chicken Soup book will find a place in the loving hearts and anxious minds of expectant mothers (and some fathers, too!). Written by expectant mothers, veteran moms and fathers-to-be, these stories tell of the physical, emotional and spiritual joys and challenges of each stage of motherhood, from "barely showing" to the awkward last months, from labor and delivery to watching and caring for Baby. There are stories that offer hope when the pregnancy isn't medically perfect; others offer light-hearted humor to cope with weight gain, morning sickness and other pregnancy woes; and still others offer words of wisdom for the seemingly daunting responsibilities of choosing a name, going through labor and bringing a new life into the world. With stories that relay the insecurities and triumphs of all sorts of different moms and moms-to-be-including multiple births, premature births, adoptions, and single-parent families-this book will tug at the heartstrings and ease the fears of all expectant mother. Chapters include: Special Moments, Delivery Day, Challenges, On Adoption, Advice from Others, For Expectant Fathers and The First Few Years. Chicken Soup for the Expectant Mother's Soul is a must-have on every baby-shower gift list, and an essential requirement for every birthing bag (http://www.amazon.com/).

When I was younger, I was obsessed with the Chicken Soup books.  I read the one's for the Teenage Soul, the College Soul, the Teacher's Soul.  I read all the one's just for anyone's Soul.  Everyone new that the Chicken Soup books were the perfect gift to get me for almost any occaision.  And then, life got busy, I got married, and I fell away from the Chicken Soup books.  However, for my birthday my mom surprised me with this copy of Chicken Soup and I again devoured it in a matter of a few days.

I do think that this edition of Chicken Soup needs to come with a warning - "This book will induce massive amounts of tears and crying in pregnant woman.  Proceed with caution."  There were more than a few times that I had to close the book, go and find a massive box of tissues and cry in a corner for a few minutes before I could go back to it.  Then again, I've found myself tearing up at Hallmark commericals lately, so it's probably just me!

I thought this book had some great stories, but I didn't feel that it was as well rounded as it could be.  It seemed to focus a lot on "miracle babies," and some of the stories themselves scared the bejesus out of me.  There was a lot of talk about premature births, emergency births, babies with near fatal diseases, and the like.  As a first time mother waiting for my baby to be born, it was almost more than I could handle at times.  There were simply a few stories that I started, and then skipped once I saw the content of them.  I may appreciate those stories more after the baby is born and we know all is well and ok.

All in all, this wasn't a bad book and some of the stories touched my heart and a few had me laughing pretty hard.  If you like books like this, I don't think it's a bad one to pick up, but some people may want to wait to read it until after their babies are born!

Audio Review: Something Like Fate

Title: Something Like Fate
Author: Susane Colasanti
Listening Time: 5 hrs and 31 mins
Rating: 4/5

Lani and Erin are bonded for life. One thing that connects them is their fascination of fate. Lani wonders how much of our lives has already been decided and how much we can actually influence. Since the Unknown can unexpectedly change our lives forever, how much can we really control?
 
From the minute Lani meets Jason, she can't deny the intense connection they share. It feels like she's known him forever. She's not sure if he feels it, too. But it doesn't matter. Because Jason is Erin's boyfriend. Lani is determined to ignore her feelings for Jason, no matter how powerful they are, rather than risk hurting her best friend.
 
What if the boy who is your destiny is the one person you can't have (susanecolasanti.com)?

I've heard great things about Susane Colasanti all over the blogosphere, but had yet to take the time to read anything by her.  When I saw the library had Something Like Fate available for download I jumped at the chance.  I am extremely happy that I did.

Something Like Fate told the story of Lani, who somehow manages to fall in love with her best friend's boyfriend.  The story is a bit cliched, but Colasanti's use of fate made it more original.  I loved the different references to horoscopes, palm reading and the like.  I also liked how Colasanti created such a strong emotional bond between Lani and Erin, making the events that happen later in the novel that much worse.

One of my favorite things about Colasanti is her character development.  Each character in Something Like Fate was distinct with a strong personality.  My only complaint was that at times, I found Lani to be a bit whiny and at one point I did want to hit her over the head with a saucepan for being so dumb.  However, that may just be me and my hormones :)

I have a few more Susane Colasanti books hanging out on my TBR pile, and I'm hoping the library has a few more on audio that I can borrow. 

Are there any other young adult authors out there with similar writing styles to Colasanti's?  I'm definitely open to suggestions :)

Audio Review: Love You Hate You Miss You

Title: Love You Hate You Miss You
Author: Elizabeth Scott
Listening Time: 5 hrs and 8 mins
Rating: 4/5

It's been seventy five days. Amy's sick of her parents suddenly taking an interest in her, and she's really sick of people asking her about Julia. Julia's gone, and Amy doesn't want to talk about it. No one knew Julia like she did. No one gets what life is without her.

No one understands what it's like to know that it's all your fault.

Amy's shrink thinks she should keep a journal but instead, Amy starts writing letters to Julia. As she writes letter after letter, she begins to realize that the past holds its own secrets--and that the present deserves a chance (goodreads.com).

This is the second Elizabeth Scott novel that I've either read or listened to and I was blown away by this story.  Scott is an extremely talented young adult author, and I was again drawn into the story that she weaves.

Amy is a young, troubled teen dealing with the loss of her best friend Julia.  To help deal with her problems, Amy begins writing Julia long letters telling her about how she feels, her frustrations with school, how alone she seems.  These letters truly allow the reader to feel the pain that Amy is struggling with, and my heart truly broke for her.  Listening to this novel on audio seemed to make it all the more painful, because I could hear Amy's heart breaking with every word the narrator read.  By using Amy's letters to Julia, we are truly let into the mind of a teenager that struggles with decisions she made in the past.  We ride along on her road to discovery, traveling every twist, turn and bump.  It's an emotional rollercoaster but one I very much enjoyed taking.

Audio wise, I thought the narrator of this book was great.  It took me a few minutes to get used to her reading style, but once I did it was almost like watching a movie.  I almost felt like was eavesdropping, that how powerfully she read this novel, and how much she made it seem as though she truly was our main character Amy.  The power in an audio book is awesome, and I'm really enjoying them.  Plus they have completely doubled the amount of reading I can do in a week. 

If you are looking for a smart, entertaining, and sharp read Love You Hate You Miss You is definitely the book for you.  I'll be looking for more from author Elizabeth Scott in the coming weeks.

Review: The Thorn Birds

Title: The Thorn Birds
Author: Colleen McCullough
Pages: 673
Rating: 5/5

One of the most beloved novels of all time, Colleen McCullough's magnificent saga of dreams, struggles, dark passions, and forbidden love in the Australian outback has enthralled readers the world over. The Thorn Birds is a chronicle of three generations of Clearys—an indomitable clan of ranchers carving lives from a beautiful, hard land while contending with the bitterness, frailty, and secrets that penetrate their family. It is a poignant love story, a powerful epic of struggle and sacrifice, a celebration of individuality and spirit. Most of all, it is the story of the Clearys' only daughter, Meggie, and the haunted priest, Father Ralph de Bricassart—and the intense joining of two hearts and souls over a lifetime, a relationship that dangerously oversteps sacred boundaries of ethics and dogma (Cover Blurb).


I've let the size of this book intimidate me for much too long.  Coming in at just under 700 pages, The Thorn Birds is one of the most amazing pieces of literature I have ever read.  Chocked full of dram intrigue and scandel, it has consumed my life for the past week and a half.  I've been fighting sleep at work because I can't put this book down to go to bed at night.  The story of the Cleary family draws you in, making it difficult to think of much else.

The Thorn Birds is told in seven parts and covers a bit more than 50 years of the Cleary family's life.  Most of the story centers around Meggie, the only daughter of Fee and Paddy Cleary.  Meggie is only a young girl when the family first moves to Australia, and it then that she meets Fr Ralph de Bricassart.  Ralph is a young Catholic priest struggling to find his place in the church and among men.  The reader watches as Meggie continues to grow into a beautiful young women and her relationship with Ralph also grows.  To tell more would almost be a sin, as all readers should experience this tale themselves.

At it's time of publication, The Thorn Birds created quite a scandel within the United States, especially with Catholics.  Catholics found huge scandel in Fr. Ralph and the journey he choice to take with his life.  Also, this book was seen to be a bit racy for the times, especially around the "older" generation who first read it.  In fact, I can remember when the mini-series was first on TV, that my mother banned me from the room when it was playing.  She said it was nothing that I needed to be seeing.  However, it did not stop her from watching it...lol.  Now as an adult, I understand her misgivings, especially considering the fact that we come from a very strong Catholic family.  My Great Uncle served under the Pope in Rome for almost 30 years, and my younger brother is currently in seminary studying for the priesthood.  I talked to him about The Thorn Birds, and he still finds it to be very scandalizing to the Catholic Church. 

To me The Thorn Birds is one of those books you can sink your teeth into.  The pages take you away to a far off country, to a time when life was slower and almost seemed to have more meaning.  I often found myself lost in the pages, loosing track of time and reality.  This book is most definitely one of my top ten favorite books, if not my favorite book of all time.  I am so glad that I took the time to experience this story for all that it is worth.

Audio Review: The Replacement

Title: The Replacement
Author: Brenna Yovanoff
Listening Time: 10 hrs 34 mins
Rating: 2.5/5


Mackie is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess.
He is a Replacement - left in the crib of a human baby 16 years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is slowly dying in the human world.
Mackie would give anything to live among us. He just wants to play bass guitar and find out more about an oddly intriguing girl named Tate. But when Tate's baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the slag heaps and find his rightful place - in our world, or theirs (theaudiobookstore.com).

In one word, this book was just - WEIRD.  I had high hopes for this one.  The cover was creepy as could be and the description sounded amazing.  I haven't read any books on changelings and the idea was quite new to me.  I figured with Halloween right around the corner, this would be a great read for the week.  I was wrong.

The audio for this book was good - having it read to you with different voices made it all the more creepier.  However, despite all this, I thought the book was boring and much too long.  I just felt like it took forever in between things happening and then the ending was extremely drawn out.  A few times, I almost felt like stopping the audio and moving on to something else, but the reader in me just wouldn't let it go.  I guess I kept hoping it would get better.

One of my main issues with the story was the language.  While I'm not a prude, I just felt like The Replacement had an overwhelming amount of the F word mingled among its many "pages."  I think if I hadn't been listening to this on audio, I probably wouldn't have noticed it as much, but I found it to be distracting and out of place on the audio.  I also found the few sexual situations to be a bit disconcerting.  Again I just found them to be a bit awkward and unjustified.  They almost seemed to be used as a bit of a filler.  It bothered me how front and center they seemed to be in a book aimed at young adults.

I do feel that what the book lacked in action, it definitely made up for in creepiness.  That's why I did rate it at least 2.5 stars.  I definitely didn't want to listen to this one after dark.  The narration helped emphasize this fact, and I found it to be very chilling.

All in all, this book as gotten pretty good reviews around the blog world.  It may have just been the wrong type of book for me, I'm not sure.  Has anyone else read this, and if so what are your thoughts?

Audio Review: Twisted

Title: Twisted
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Listening Time: 6 hrs 25 mins
Rating: 4/5

High school senior Tyler Miller used to be the kind of guy who faded into the background—average student, average looks, average dysfunctional family. But since he got busted for doing graffiti on the school, and spent the summer doing outdoor work to pay for it, he stands out like you wouldn't believe. His new physique attracts the attention of queen bee Bethany Milbury, who just so happens to be his father's boss's daughter, the sister of his biggest enemy—and Tyler's secret crush. And that sets off a string of events and changes that have Tyler questioning his place in the school, in his family, and in the world. In Twisted, the acclaimed Laurie Halse Anderson tackles a very controversial subject: what it means to be a man today. Fans and new readers alike will be captured by Tyler's pitchperfect, funny voice, the surprising narrative arc, and the thoughtful moral dilemmas that are at the heart of all of the author's award-winning, widely read work (penguingroup.com).


This was my first experience with audio books and I have to say I'm extremely pleased.  I was able to listen to this all day at work, and managed to finish a book in one day, and still got all my work done! 

Laurie Halse Anderson is quickly becoming one of my favorite young adult authors.  I finished Speak last week, and was completely blown away.  Twisted was almost as powerful.  The only reason why I didn't rate it quite as high as Speak was because I didn't connect with the main character as much as I did Melinda.  This was probably due to the fact that in Twisted, the main character was male, and being female some of the things didn't connect as well with me as they would a teenage boy.

Again, Anderson tackles some tough topics in Twisted including emotional abuse, bullying, and suicide.  One difference though, I feel, is that the issues where handled a bit more roughly in Twisted than they were in Speak.  This again, is mostly due to the difference in characters.  Also, the language and situations in Twisted are a bit more "vulgar," or rough around the edges.

My favorite character in the novel was Yoda, who is Tyler's best friend.  He's super obsessed with Star Wars, and has a habit of quoting Yoda and talking like a true Jedi Warrior.  I just thought he was cute...and a little dorky.  I've always had a bit of soft spot for guys like that :).

Audio book wise, I thought the narrator of this was amazing.  He was one of the reasons why I continued to listen to the book all day, rather than shutting it off here and there to listen to something else.  I felt he truly brought the characters and the situations to life.  I'm extremely glad I started with this particular novel as my first audio.    I look forward to see if I can find more audio books read by this same narrator.  I can see now why narrators can make all the difference in an audio book!

Next up for me is The Replacement.  I've heard great things about this particular book and I'm excited to see how it is for me :)

Review: Speak

Title: Speak
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Pages: 198
Rating: 5/5

Melinda Sordino busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops. Now her old friends won’t talk to her, and people she doesn’t even know hate her from a distance. The safest place to be is alone, inside her own head. But even that’s not safe. Because there’s something she’s trying not to think about, something about the night of the party that, if she let it in, would blow her carefully constructed disguise to smithereens. And then she would have to speak the truth. This extraordinary first novel has captured the imaginations of teenagers and adults across the country (Cover Blurb).

 I've been pretty quiet for the past two weeks, and my reading has certainly been suffering.  The baby shifted and is sitting on my sciatic nerve making it painful for me to do much of anything, especially sitting and reading.  However, despite that, I pushed on and finished Speak late last week.  I am so glad that I did.  This book was breath taking.  Never, in all my years reading, has a book made me truly "feel" like Speak did.  In my life, I've never experienced anything nearly as traumatic as Melinda.  I've never been forced into doing something I didn't want to do.  However, despite this disconnect with the situation, I was able to fully connect with Melinda and every feeling she had.  I felt her separation, her fear, and her loneliness.  I understood her pain, and I wanted to take it away from her.  That's how powerfully this book was written.

I originally started this book due to Banned Book Week.  Speak has been all over the Internet lately due to an article written by Dr. Wesley Scroggins.  You can read the article here.  Personally, I think the article is a bunch of donkey doo.  I'm beginning to wonder if this Dr Scroggins and I read the same book, because in the book I read, the rape scenes were written with great care so as not to be disturbing but instead show how emotionally devastating the act of rape can be.  This book is an excellent tool to teach young girls to speak up, speak out, and to be heard when things happen to them.  If I ever have daughters this is definitely a book I would want them to read!

This is the first book I've read by Laurie Halse Anderson, but it most certainly will not be my last.  I've had Wintergirls sitting on my shelf for months now and I look forward to picking it up and giving it a try.  Thank you Banned Books Week for showing me another wonderful book and author!!

Banned Book Review #3: A Light in the Attic

Title: A Light in the Attic
Author: Shel Silverstein
Pages: 176
Rating: 4/5

Here in the attic of Shel Silverstein you will find Backward Bill, Sour Face Ann, the Meehoo with an Exactlywatt, and the Polar Bear in the Frigidaire. You will talk with Broiled Face, find out what happens when Somebody steals your knees, get caught by the Quick-Digesting Gink, hear a Mountain snore, and see Them Put a Brassiere on the Camel.

From the creator of the beloved poetry collections Where the Sidewalk Ends and Falling Up, here is another wondrous book of poems and drawings (goodreads.com)

Attempts have been made to ban the book from some libraries, parents claiming that the poem "How Not To Have To Dry The Dishes" encourages messiness and disobedience.  The poem "Little Abigail and the Beautiful Pony" led to more criticism for describing the death of a girl after her parents refuse to buy her a pony. This led the book to be banned by the Fruitland Park Elementary School in Lake County, Florida.  The decision, however, was later reversed by an advisory committee of parents and teachers. Other complaints included the mention of supernatural themes, including demons, devils, and ghosts.

Growing up, I loved Shel Silverstein's books.  I borrowed both A Light in the Attic and Where the Sidewalk Ends from the library so much, I'm surprised anyone else ever had a chance to read them.  I always found the illustrations to be funny and the poems always gave me the giggles.  Reading them again this past week, had the same affect.

I've always felt that Shel Silverstein has one of the most creative minds I've ever seen.  The way he writes his poetry and illustrates really pulls the reader in, plus I think it opens a doorway for younger children to be introduced to different genres of literature.  Do I think some of the illustrations are maybe a bit inappropriate for younger readers?  Maybe...there is a few pictures with bare butts...but then again, we all have butts.  I certainly don't see this as a reason to take these books away from our children.  Furthermore, I found it absoultely hilarious that parents were blaming the poems in this book for causing and encouring "messiness and disobiendence.  I know I read these books a ton during my developing years, and I never knew them to stop me from having to do the dishes or keeping a messy room (I wish it would have been that easy!).

After re-reading A Light in the Attic, I'm super excited to re-read Where the Sidewalk Ends.  I also have a copy of Silversteins Falling Up that I'm looking forward to taking a peek at.

Banned Book Review #2: Bridge to Terabithia

Title: Bridge to Terabithia

Author: Katherine Paterson

Pages: 163

Rating: 3/5

Jess Aarons' greatest ambition is to be the fastest runner in his grade. He's been practicing all summer and can't wait to see his classmates' faces when he beats them all. But on the first day of school, a new girl boldly crosses over to the boys' side and outruns everyone.

That's not a very promising beginning for a friendship, but Jess and Leslie Burke become inseparable. Together they create Terabithia, a magical kingdom in the woods where the two of them reign as king and queen, and their imaginations set the only limits (goodreads.com).

The novel's content has been the frequent target of censors and appears on the American Library Association list of the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000 at number eight.  The censorship attempts stem from death being a part of the plot; Jess' frequent use of the word "lord" outside of prayer; concerns that the book promotes secular humanism, New Age religion, occultism, and Satanism; and for use of offensive language.

I chose this book to read for BBW because I was positive I had read it as a child.  After reading it, I'm positive that I never read it as a child and this was the first time!!  That having been said, I thought it was a good book, but not a favorite.  I can also see why a lot of the kids reviews on Amazon stated it was "boring." 

The story itself is very character driven, definitely not plot driven like most books written for younger audiences.  This book also dealt with some rather heavy emotional issues, that would be tougher for some kids to handle (do I see this as a reason to ban the book...ummm most certainly not).  I do think that this book is an important book for older children and young adults to read.  It definitely should have its place among required reading in schools, as it does show children that life is not always roses and lollipops.

I'm definitely glad I read the book, especially for banned book week.  It was interesting to read the books, and then see why they were banned.  Some of the reasoning is completely asinine.  Also, it helped me to reacquaint myself with books that I haven't even thought about in years!

Banned Book Review #1: James and the Giant Peach

Title: James and the Giant Peach
Author: Roald Dahl
Pages: 126
Rating: 5/5

When poor James Henry Trotter loses his parents in a horrible rhinoceros accident, he is forced to live with his two wicked aunts, Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker. After three years he becomes "the saddest and loneliest boy you could find." Then one day, a wizened old man in a dark-green suit gives James a bag of magic crystals that promise to reverse his misery forever. When James accidentally spills the crystals on his aunts' withered peach tree, he sets the adventure in motion. From the old tree a single peach grows, and grows, and grows some more, until finally James climbs inside the giant fruit and rolls away from his despicable aunts to a whole new life. James befriends an assortment of hilarious characters, including Grasshopper, Earthworm, Miss Spider, and Centipede--each with his or her own song to sing. Roald Dahl's rich imagery and amusing characters ensure that parents will not tire of reading this classic aloud, which they will no doubt be called to do over and over again! (goodreads.com)

James and the Giant Peach is a famous work by Roald Dahl. This book has been frequently challenged and banned for its content, including the abuse that James experiences. Others have claimed that the book promotes alcohol and drug use, that it contains inappropriate language, and that it encourages disobedience to parents.

I first heard the story of James and the Giant Peach when I was in kindergarten.  Each night my mom would read me a few chapters before bedtime.  In this way, I was introduced to great children's "classics" like Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  When I started looking into Banned Books Week, I was astonished to see JATGP on the list.  I immediately called my mom.  I asked her if she ever found anything "offensive" within the book.  Here response - "How can a children's book about a giant peach be considered offensive?"  My thoughts exactly.

At the beginning of the book we are introduced to James, a young boy who was orphaned when his parents were killed in a tragic accident.  He is sent to live with his horrible Aunts Spiker and Sponge.  James' aunts are lazy and treat him with little to no respect.  He is made to work hard jobs and when the giant peach appears he is locked in his room with no food.  It is this abuse that caused parents to try to ban the book.  However, in my mind, how is the abuse received by James any different than the abuse caused by the evil step mother in Cinderella - a fairy tale that almost all young girls in America know by heart.  What makes this book different?

Another compliant by parents was the use of offensive language.  I found two instances in the book where the centipede uses the term "ass."  Given the time period that the book was written and the context in which the term was used, I can pretty much infer that he was referring to a sense of stupidity like that of a donkey, not that of a human body part.  I'm also pretty sure that if talk to your children and explain the meaning behind the words, there are much worse things that can be said than the word "ass."

Despite the controversy, I still loved and enjoyed every bit of James and the Giant Peach.  Dahl's writing was smooth and flawless and, as always, his characters were wonderful.  I can't wait until my own son or daughter is old enough to enjoy this book and I get the chance to share the story of James with them.

Review: The Girls from Ames

Title: The Girls from Ames - A Story of Women and a Forty Year Friendship
Author: Jeffrey Zaslow
Pages: 326
Rating: 4.5/5

Meet the Ames Girls: eleven childhood friends who formed a special bond growing up in Ames, Iowa. As young women, they moved to eight different states, yet managed to maintain an enduring friendship that would carry them through college and careers, marriage and motherhood, dating and divorce, a child’s illness and the mysterious death of one member of their group. Capturing their remarkable story, The Girls from Ames is a testament to the deep bonds of women as they experience life’s joys and challenges — and the power of friendship to triumph over heartbreak and unexpected tragedy.

The girls, now in their forties, have a lifetime of memories in common, some evocative of their generation and some that will resonate with any woman who has ever had a friend. Photograph by photograph, recollection by recollection, occasionally with tears and often with great laughter, their sweeping and moving story is shared by Jeffrey Zaslow, Wall Street Journal columnist, as he attempts to define the matchless bonds of female friendship. It demonstrates how close female relationships can shape every aspect of women’s lives — their sense of themselves, their choice of men, their need for validation, their relationships with their mothers, their dreams for their daughters — and reveals how such friendships thrive, rewarding those who have committed to them.

The Girls from Ames is the story of a group of ordinary women who built an extraordinary friendship. With both universal insights and deeply personal moments, it is a book that every woman will relate to and be inspired by (girlsfromames.com).


This book wasn't on my plan to read. In fact I didn't even own it before Friday, but last week was a horrible week for me. Work was treacherous, and it made me emotional and irritable when I was at home. Plus hubby had a horrible week also, so the two of us combined were quite the picture. Because of all this, I took a half day off on Friday and found myself browsing the shelves at Borders, looking around and hoping to push away the blues. All the books I had started at home were dark and weren't helping my mood so I was looking for something a bit more uplifting. I had seen The Girls from Ames when it was originally published. At that time, Borders had named it their summer book club choice and it was hailed as one of the top ten reads of 2009 by People magazine. Still I just wasn't interested enough to pick it up. However, on Friday it was on the BOGO 50% off table, so I grabbed it with another book I really wanted.

I've never been a huge fan of memoirs...I think something about them scares me, so I tend to shy away from them. It's ridiculous that I do because once I start them I normally find myself very much enjoying them. This one was no exception. Once I made it home, I started flipping through the pages, intrigued by the pictures of this group of women. I wanted to know what made them so special, and how they had managed to remain friends for so long. I settled in on the couch, and soon found myself surrounded by the world of Ames, and a friendship that started so long ago.

I must confess, I've never had a lot of girlfriends. Growing up on a farm, I was pretty isolated from neighbors so I found myself spending all my time with my brother and my mom and dad. We had a close knit family, and I never really learned to relate to girls as well ( I was very much a tomboy). Once school started, I found girls to be petty and selfish and always played with the boys. Even as I got older, some of my best friends were males. I didn't develop a really strong "girl friendship" until I got to college. We spent four years being roommates and she was my maid of honor in my wedding. But once life got involved, we found ourselves living miles apart, each creating our own families and soon lost touch. I still think of her but the idea of trying to reconcile what was there, just makes me tired. Now as a married woman, I find myself being a friend to a couple rather than just one person. All of our friends now are married with children, and all of the husbands grew up together. Its a close knit group that I've easily been absorbed into and a place in the world where I feel very comfortable. However, after reading The Girls from Ames, I've wondered if I missed out on something wonderful and satisfying in these lifelong friendships.

Despite my lack of friends (now I just sound like a loser...lol), I still found it easy to relate to these women, and could see how they had managed to stay friends for so long. They were a group that worked at staying friends, never broke communications - even when times were at their worse, and created life long bonds with each other. Each chapter opened up a new "leaf on their tree of life." Zaslow didn't really tell me anything I didn't already know about women's friendship, but he certainly showed me the benefits that lasting relationships can have on a woman's life. By the last page, I felt as though I had spent days with these women and my heart broke when there's broke, and I laughed as they laughed. It was certainly the kind of book I need to lift my spirits at a time when I was feeling so down and out.

I did a bit of research on the book too and saw that it's being developed into a movie for Lifetime. I'm rather excited for this development and look forward to the finished product. I think all women should sit down and spend an afternoon or two with these girls. I believe we'll all walk away feeling a bit better!

Review: To Kill a Mockingbird

Title: To Kill a Mockingbird
Author: Harper Lee
Pages: 323
Rating: 5/5

Growing up, Friday nights were always family movie night. Up until I started high school and football and basketball games became the norm, my mom, dad, brother and I would pile into the family room with blankets, popcorn and high expectations for the movie ahead. It was on these Fridays that my love for old movies began. Watching the likes of Jane Eyre, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and Gone With the Wind, I was introduced to amazing worlds and unforgettable stories. I can remember one particular Friday night that mom was more excited than usual about the movie she had selected for the evening. It was one that she had loved growing up and when she saw it during her shopping she had to get it. Looking at the VHS cover, I wasn't particularly thrilled - the movie was black and white and showed a picture of lawyer. How good could it really be? However, as the opening credits began to play, and a soft voice began to talk about the town of Maycomb I was enthralled. This was my first encounter with the classic story To Kill a Mockingbird.

Over the years, I fell more and more in love with the movie, often watching our worn VHS when I was home sick from school, or on particularly cold winter nights. When I got married 4 and a half years ago, I asked mom for my own copy of the movie that first year for Christmas. To Kill a Mockingbird was always a comfort to me. A gentle reminder of quieter times. However, despite my connections with the movie, I had never once picked up the book. I'd looked at it a few times at the bookstore, and even went as far as buying it a year or two ago, but on my shelves it sat. I'd flip through the pages every so often, but the words "modern classic" would make my head hurt. So many other classics have been started then put away because of their lack of readability and headache inducing. Would To Kill a Mockingbird be any different? In one word, YES.

After reading Sheila's review, and seeing how much she enjoyed the book, I had to give it a try. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, To Kill a Mockingbird was first published in 1960 and quickly became a modern American classic. After doing a bit of research, I found that author Harper Lee loosely based the story on her own family and neighbors as well as a crime that had taken place in a nearby town when Lee was growing up.

Told through the voice of Scout, the young daughter of local lawyer, Atticus Finch, To Kill a Mockingbird pulls at the heart strings and leaves the reader in awe. Telling the story of racial injustice in small southern town, the novel also illustrates the loss of innocence among children.
The story centers around the young lives of Scout and Jem Finch, and their widowed father, Atticus. The Finch family resides in the small southern town of Macomb, where they live peacefully among their neighbors including the infamous "Boo" Radley. Rumored to have stabbed his father with a pair of kitchen scissors, Boo never leaves his home, allowing him to become the source of neighborhood gossip and children's wild imaginations. Jem and Scout, along with their friend Dill fill their summers with games of truth and dare, normally involving the Radley house and its occupants but slowly things begin to change. Atticus is appointed to defend a black man, Tom Robinson, who is accused of raping a young white women. Soon, Jem and Scout begin to feel the repercussions of this decision by not only children but a few adults.

Scout, simply by the nature of work, every lawyer gets at least one case in his life that affects him personally. This one's mine, I guess. You might hear some ugly talk about it at school, but do one thing for me if you will; you just hold your head high and keep those fists down. No matter what anybody says to you, don't let 'em get your goat. Try fighting with your head for a change...it's a good one even if it does resist learning.

~ To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 9

To tell anymore would simply ruin the essence of the story and would rob the reader of too many emotions.

To Kill a Mockingbird is a compelling, intense and emotionally riddled read. I strongly believe that everyone should take the time to read and enjoy every part of this great American novel. I think this novel needs to be required reading in every high school in the US (banned book or not...don't even get me started). I wish that I would have been encouraged to read this when I was younger, as opposed to waiting until I was almost 30 to experience such a rare and special gift. There's not many books that touch me in the same way that this novel has. This will be one that I will read and cherish over and over again. Don't be like me and let the fact that it is a classic scare you away. Take a few minutes, get comfortable in a chair, and let Lee take you away to a warm summer in Alabama. Run the streets with Jem and Scout, and listen to what Atticus has to say.

Review: A Bend in the Road

Title: A Bend in the Road
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Pages: 368
Rating: 3/5

Miles Ryan's life seemed to end the day his wife was killed in a hit-and-run accident two years ago. Missy had been his first love, and Miles fervently believes she will be his last. As a deputy in the North Carolina town of New Bern, Miles Ryan not only grieves for Missy, but also longs to bring the unknown driver to justice. Then Miles meets Sarah Andrews. The second grade teacher of his son, Jonah, Sarah had left Baltimore after a difficult divorce to start over in the gentler surroundings of New Bern. Perhaps it's her own emotional wounds that make her sensitive to the hurt she first sees in Jonah's eyes, and then his father's.

Tentatively, Sarah and Miles reach out to each other. Soon they are both laughing for the first time in years . . . and falling in love. Neither will be able to guess how closely linked they are to a shocking secret -- one that will force them to question everything they ever believed in . . . and make a heartbreaking choice that will change their lives forever (nicholassparks.com).

This was probably one of my least favorite Nicholas Sparks books. I had a hard time really connecting with any of the characters, and really despised the main character Miles Ryan. I think part of the problem was that I hated his name immensly. Plus, he seemed to suffer from horrible mood swings going from Mr Nice Guy to Mr Nasty Pants in a matter of minutes. I also thought Sarah's character in general was weak. She just didn't seem to have much of a backbone which I found odd for a character of Sparks, but there's a first time for everything.

The one character in the book I did find endearing was Mile's son Jonah. I thought he was a very sweet little boy, and felt horrible for all the trauma he had to suffer in his young life. I really wanted to see things work out in a way that would be good for him.

One of my biggest pet peeves about this book were the intertwined narrations by Missy Ryans "killer." It certainly ruined the mystery for me, as I was able to figure out who the person was by about page 50. I wish Sparks would have approached this aspect of the novel in a different way and somehow lead into that mystery differently.

I'm not going to let this one bad experience keep me from reading more of Spark's back list, but it did slow me down a bit. I had to give myself a bit of break but will probably continue to pick up his books throughout the month.